


Repair the damage

by Justcommander_archive



Category: The Transformers (Cartoon Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Alien Culture, Decepticons aren’t humans they have different kind of relationship, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Gore, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Medicinal Drug Use, No Incest, Not Canon Compliant, Physical Abuse, Seekers call each other brothers but they’re not actually brothers, Spark Sexual Interfacing, Sticky Sexual Interfacing, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Violence, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-06
Updated: 2018-03-08
Packaged: 2019-01-30 11:40:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 105,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12652830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Justcommander_archive/pseuds/Justcommander_archive
Summary: Everyone knows how Megatron enjoys making those who disrespect him suffer and bend to his power. But those you keep on bending, will eventually break. Even the most determined seeker isn't unbreakable, despite how he seems to never give up.But even if someone's hurt, tortured, abused and broken... there's always a chance to fix everything.Right?





	1. Breaking point

**Author's Note:**

> First of all: Thanks to my beta Killuascreamer for correcting this story for me
> 
> Warning: This fiction is not completely canon and despite being based on Transformers G1 Cartoon, it's also partially based on IDW so it gets way more dark than what you'd expect in a cartoon.  
> It contains themes like suicide, emotional and physical abuse, depression and anxiety, torture references, graphic descriptions of violence and vomiting, gore and (even if consensual and medicinal) drug use, and explicit sexual content. You have been warned.
> 
>  
> 
> \--
> 
> Units of time:
> 
>  
> 
> 1 Nanoklik - 1 second
> 
> 1 Cycle - 1 minute and 30 seconds
> 
> 1 Joor - 1 hour
> 
> 1 Solar Cycle - 1 day
> 
> 1 Deca Cycle - 10 days
> 
> 1 Stellar Cyle - 1 year
> 
> 1 Vorn - 80 years

A loud thud stopped the Constructicons from talking and their attention fell on Starscream, laying now on the dark ground of the cave they had been exploring. Hook was the first one who moved as everyone remained still. He was distracted discussing with Scavenger and when he saw the seeker laying on the floor he only thought about going to check his physical conditions, now used to the other hurting himself in areas where only him and his teammates were allowed to stay for obvious reasons.  
It wouldn’t have been the first time that stubborn flier decided to go and see for himself what they were doing, touching something he was supposed to leave alone and getting hurt, falling into holes, blowing up, tripping into materials left around, and he always quickly went to check on him before he could start to complain with that screechy voice he knew no one could stand...!  
In this situation however, the Decepticon medic didn’t see what caused him to fall on the ground. He was too busy explaining to Scavenger where to start digging without making everything collapse, as the soil conformation seemed very friable… and he didn’t see Megatron grabbing the seeker from a wing and throwing him violently on the rock wall of the humid cave.  
  
Luckily, when Scrapper saw Hook approaching the other, he immediately grabbed his Second by the servo and yanked him back to his side. At his first attempt to complain by such a reaction, the Constructicon leader shushed him and tilted the helm to point at the figure in front of the seeker. That was enough for the medic who remained still like the others.  
  
The silver mech growled and approached the smaller figure of his air commander, suddenly he grabbed his neck and tugged him up back on his pedes. Then a chocked scream left that damaged mech’s vocalizer as his face plates were slammed repeatedly against the sharp rocks, staining the dark wall in glowing purple. Then the other servo reached for a wing and curled around the soft metal, crushing and crumbling it up under its pressure. A second pained yell got immediately stopped as Megatron threw the smaller mech on the ground once again.  
The flier gasped, shaking in pain and shock, unable to focus on anything except for how much every single part of his wing plating hurt terribly. His optics unable to focus on anything neither. Everything was so dark, with a hint of bright green in a corner… then a silver spot very close to him.  
  
  
It was always his fault wasn’t it? Always. For every single problem the Decepticon cause may had to deal with. Always his fault. An Autobot spy discovering their plans? A too strong attack they couldn’t avoid? A storm that left the seekers quite useless during a battle? All his fault! Always!  
It was normal now, blaming that stupid red and white flier. The energon reserves running low? His fault! All his fault! Let’s blame the stupid treacherous Second in Command even for things he didn’t even deal with. Megatron couldn’t simply admit sometimes his plans had some little flaws. No. His plans were perfect! He wouldn’t have lost time listening to a second opinion, especially if that second opinion came from Starscream.  
  
The other soldiers started to think of it as a funny thing. Blaming the seeker for every problem. Telling him to shut up and not bother them… before he caused some other problem. That old fool didn’t even realize what he caused. He never cared if someone else showed disrespect for his Second, no… quite the opposite. He encouraged them by delivering a punch or a blast of his cannon on his helm or his soft and delicate wings.  
His wings… he knew how much he cared about those. So they became his favorite target. Scratched, punched, shot… even removed sometimes!  
  
He was looking at them now the optics started to focus a bit better on his surroundings. Well, what else could he look at? Crouched in a corner of the cave, the weak light coming from the large entrance hitting against the once white plating. His crimson optics observing the dented metal, full of scratches and all the paint only left space for a sad shade of gray. The rest of his frame was covered by the same dents and scratches.  
But despite everything Megatron did this time, what hurt more was inside of his chassis, in his very spark. Every time the warlord insulted him for some new reason… and he finally understood that this pain was worse… it hurt him way more. And as they learned to blame him for everything, other Deceptions began to call him those names the leader did: fool, useless, junk, mistake, pathetic, disgusting…  
  
He was tired of this. Tired. What did he actually do to be treated this way? He tried to become leader, attempting to assassinate Megatron countless times now, sure… but this was the reason behind all those attempts! His abuses began before landing on Earth… before he even started to attempt to overthrow him! Why was he complaining about having a Second in Command that didn’t show any respect for him?!  
  
His thoughts were stopped as a heavy pede pressed on his black helm and pushed his face plates in the cold and dirt ground, the metal stained in purple energon rubbed against the dark soil, the dust and bright liquid mixing together, sliding inside his open mouth. Starscream gasped and winced at the unpleasant taste, attempting to push himself away, but gave up under the much bigger mech’s strength. Wasn’t he done yet? He coughed and tried to spit out the disgusting mix he had in the mouth but found himself being forced down with his face plates pushed harder against the dirt.  
  
His red optics stared forward, never up to his leader, he didn’t want to see him. Not now. Out of the cave he could see two stains, purple and blue. As he focused on the two mechs standing outside, he saw their worried and nervous expressions, wings laying low… but it wasn’t necessary looking at them to know how they felt. His trine bond was enough to know his two mates wanted to go help him, but couldn’t do it. They were angry as well… seeing their leader on the ground, beaten up like that.  
Skywarp and Thundercracker were the only two who still seemed to show him respect, even if he sometimes had to deal with the purple flier’s sassy behavior… but he always ended up arguing with him even before war honestly. Anyway... in these situation even that seemed less painful every time they had to yell at each other.  
But now he kept his emotions for himself, blocking the bond. He had been keeping it closed for a few solar cycles now. Whatever he might have felt, they wouldn’t have needed to deal with any of that. It wasn’t their fault if he kept on getting punished, so they deserved none of his pain.  
  
«You failed me yet again, Starscream»  
Ugh. That stupid sentence… how did it manage to hurt him every time? Why did he even care anymore if he disappointed his leader?! Why did he care if Megatron didn’t appreciate his efforts? He could simply stop caring and let those insults and complains slide down on his frame… Why did he still care?  
The Decepticon leader stomped hard on his helm for the last time and backed away, walking back close to the communication officer who remained silent all the time, not even staring at his master nor at the Second in command, he simply stood there staring forward and listening.  
  
«Without Soundwave we’d soon be in trouble because of your incompetence, as always!» He growled, clenching his fists and powering up his fusion cannon, an intense magenta light brightening the humid ground and rocky walls.  
Sure… all his fault. As always! How could he know he was being followed by an Autobot, especially if this damn Autobot had the ability to become invisible?! He couldn’t have known! He has been very careful during his guard shift around the cave, he paid a lot of attention at the area all around, checking multiple times, but not even like this he could have been able to spot something invisible!  
He didn’t even try to find excuses, then again, what excuses could he find anyway? It was true! He didn’t see the spy and didn’t destroy the spy because he didn’t see him! While Soundwave didn’t need his optics at all to find someone… he only needed to hear. Hear the conversation between that Autobot and Optimus Prime for example. Hear their enemies were going to attack them now.  
  
When the deadly weapon was pointed towards him, Starscream lowered the wings even more than how much they already were, as if to protect his delicate appendages from further blows. That stupid cannon… he was so used of getting hit by that, but not used to the pain. It burnt and made his metal melt, damaging the wires inside and crushing the energon lines.  
  
How funny… being hurt and tortured over and over again, with the weapon he built so long ago on Cybertron. The weapon he gifted to his leader. But Megatron didn’t even remember, did he? He didn’t care. Or maybe he did remembered and it only pleased him more to hurt his Second with the weapon he gave him, just to make him feel even more stupid.  
This time the leader didn’t shoot at him. Soundwave carefully raised his servo and laid it on the heated black metal of the cannon, his flat voice getting Megatron’s attention. «Megatron: needs to save energy for battle.»  
  
He seemed to be the only one the warlord listened to and in fact he lowered the arm, turning away from the seeker on the floor, now staring at the medic. «Hook!» he called, having the bright green mech quickly approaching his leader and waiting for his orders «Pick up that junk-» he started with an angry growl, pointing at the flier «and see that he’s able to fight immediately, I don’t care how. I don’t want him to be even more useless than what he already is!». The rest of the Constructicons left the cave to get ready to fight as Megatron commanded them.  
When Skywarp and Thundercracker tried to get inside and reach their trine leader, they both felt their wings being grabbed and pulled back outside, they spun and found themselves in front of Megatron, staring angrily down at them with his bloody red optics. «Tell me, are you two called Hook as well now?» he hissed, and the two fliers gulped down the cold air, trying to reset their vocalizers.  
The purple seeker was the first one who tried to speak, but his mate next to him sensed what he was about to say as an answer: “ _but he’s our leader_ ”, terrible answer.  
  
Clenching the denta in a sharp sound he stopped him «No, lord Megatron. We’ll leave immediately.». His trine mate tried to protest but the blue seeker powered up his thrusters and took off, dragging him up in the air as well. Thundercracker knew how much their trine leader would have wanted their comfort now, feel their servos on his delicate wings and being held close… that closed bond didn’t mean he wanted them away from him, it meant he didn’t want them to know how bad he felt and he knew it.  
  
  
Starscream felt the medic’s servos on his frame instead. Once he was shifted onto his back, he felt those  servos travel up to his face plates, wincing in pain as the damaged wing rubbed on the ground. He was completely covered in dents and the paint scratched off in many areas. It had been a deca cycle since the last time he got fully repaired, no, it was probably longer. Ah, he couldn't even remember. The Constructicon kneeling next to him started with stopping the leaking on the open wounds on his face plates, his movements rapid but somehow gentle, the digits caressing the spots where it hurt the most and immediately understanding where the damage was.  
  
He was silent, working on the seeker and never turning his helm to look at the dark face plates. The flier sighed, looking at the green mech. He was Scarpper’s Second in Command. Those dents on the resistant metal were obviously caused by something that happened while working, and they were a very few, his leader never ever dared to hit him with anything, not even when he was angry and growing impatient. Hook called himself an artist so many times, testing both his leaders patience and was yelled at so many times, but was never touched. Maybe because he was the only medic around? But Starscream knew how Hook's behavior enraged Megatron, and Scrapper too! But Scrapper only yelled at him, never injured him or his other mates. Like he did with Skywarp and Thundercracker. He yelled at them, sure sometimes they fought, but nothing like… like this!  
  
Like what Megatron kept on doing to him!  
Sure, his trine and the Constructicons had something in common: a bond. Megatron didn’t have a bond with him and would have never had one.  
  
«That will do» Hook’s deep voice caught his attention immediately. Sure, that will do. As always. He went to sit up, panting and shaking still, then slowly stood up onto his pedes. «Listen commander, you obviously haven’t recovered at all. I can’t do more since our leader wants you to fight now, just be caref—» but he was interrupted by a low growl  
  
«Oh fine! I don’t care, alright medic?!» he yelled and ran to the exit. But before he could reach it, he stopped immediately. His wings still hurt so much… His energon rations weren’t enough since Megatron decided to punish him like that, not allowing him to have enough fuel to go fly whenever he wanted, since that wasted way more energy.  
  
The medic approached him, not talking anymore this time, just observing him as if he was trying to find a proper way to start talking again. But after receiving a second warning growl as the seeker tilted his wings up in a sharp angle, the green mech sighed and walked away.  
“Stay away from me” the flier thought, unable to talk all of the sudden. Why did he want the medic away? He knew it wasn’t his fault, but he was envious of him, so envious of not being treated like he was by his leader. Why did he need to have such a terrible leader instead? When did things even change? The red seeker let himself fall back down on his knees, helm low, staring down.  
  
Megatron simply didn’t understand how much he sacrificed for the Decepticon cause? When he decided to join him in this war, he respected his ideas, he really did trust the ex-gladiator. He trusted him so much that he left his town, Vos. He followed him with all his seekers, loyal only to him, the Winglord. He gave him an armada of perfect and skilled fliers, he stopped being their supreme leader and shared this power with the grounder... shared. Yes. That was what he thought.  
  
Megatron doesn’t share.  
  
They were all ordered to stop taking orders from Starscream, he began to get treated with disrespect, insulted, and they began to stop trusting him. The only two who never left him were his beloved Skywarp and Thundercracker.  
  
Then what else? That weapon, right. So much time had been put into studying and researching to create that powerful fusion cannon for him, and what did he receive? He received to get tortured by it. His city was no more now, he wasn’t there to fight back, and everything was now lost forever. Vos didn’t exist anymore.  
  
And then there was Skyfire. His friend who stayed with him for so much time, studying and experimenting together and exploring had left him. He woke up after millions of stellar cycles, finally turned back to him and then joined the opposite faction, looking at the seeker as if he’d be looking at a disgusting monster.  
Starscream brought his servos to his face plates and scratched. After joining the Deceptions, he lost everything. He lost his city, his seeker’s loyalty, his friend, his dignity.  
What was even there left of him anymore? He was completely gone long ago. He looked at his blue digits, the tips stained in purple. The weak light making everything look darker… gray. Gray, like the metal where his paint got scratched away. Grey, like the frame of a dead mech. Because that was what he really was, right? Dead inside. He was dead and still forced to walk around in a body that slowly began to fall apart.  
  
  
_-Starscream!-_ His leader’s voice echoed through the comm. link  _-Starscream come here immediately and fight you fool!-_  
Fight?  
_-Your mates are making a mess on their own!-_  
What? His mates?  
_-I…-_ then he understood what was happening _-I-I’m coming!-_  
_-Get a move on you useless piece of scarp!-_  
When did they even attack? He remained all this time in the cave? The Autobot were attacking and… and he suddenly noticed he didn’t even care.  
  
Not even in the middle of the battlefield, bullets shooting all around, missiles and purple rays. The strong smell of smoke and energon, dust flying and sliding into his throat after every intake.  
  
Everything just looked like a dream, his movements slow and almost uncontrolled. He raised his arms and started to fire at the enemies, not even recognizing who he was shooting at. They had a red insignia, that was enough for him. Just look at the insignia and shoot there, he didn’t even start to aim anymore… he didn’t even try.  
  
The Constructicons seemed unable to form Devastator, each of them was busy fighting a different Autobot as they were kept far from each other on purpose.  
Skywarp and Thundercracker were yelling at their trine leader, asking what to do and waiting his orders as usual, but nothing came this time. The two began to do what they could, attacking separately. The blue flier had a broken pede, dark smoke coming from the area where he got shot, but decided to cover Soundwave from above as the communication officer sent the last cassettes to attack. Skywarp instead simply teleported himself against the enemies, he grabbed Prowl from the door wings and they both rolled on the ground, punching, shooting, and scratching at each other.  
Starscream was simply staring at the red Autobot’s logo and started to aim there, without caring about who he was about to hit. He ended up being tackled to the ground by a blue Autobot, appearing out of nowhere, literally. That fragger was the spy who made him get beaten up! If that would have been any other mech, the seeker probably wouldn’t have even struggled much to get them off, but in this case he put a little more effort and managed to kick him away and shoot at his legs after standing up again.  
«Mirage!» Optimus Prime’s voice reached his audio receptors just a nanoklik before the Autobot leader punched the flier out of the way to protect his soldier.  
  
Starscream managed to not fall down, sliding only lightly and somehow gaining back his balance. The red and blue mech staring at him, ready to fight the seeker. While he wasn’t ready to face Optimus. He wasn’t ready to face anything at all honestly. Not even that minibot Bumblebee.  
His leader, seeing his Second close to Optimus, transformed in the air and the flier quickly caught him, used to do this action after hearing this noise so close to him. But he didn’t shoot at the Prime. He looked down at the gun in his blue servos. His leader was there in his grasp in such a fragile form. It wouldn’t have taken much to just destroy him. But did he want that now? In this instant, was that what he really wanted?  
Soundwave turned around to look at the flier and called his name, but didn’t add anything.  
  
Thundercracker, after hearing that, stopped shooting and looked nervously at his trine leader. Optimus was getting closer, what was he waiting for?! He raised an arm, ready to protect both his leaders just in case.  
Starscream held the weapon tighter as Megatron shouted at him «Shoot! Shoot already, you idiot!»  
Shoot. Right, he was supposed to shoot…  
He finally held the weapon in a servo and put the digit over the trigger, looking forward at the larger mech.  
Yes, shoot already. Shoot.  
  
«What is he doing?!» Rumble yelled, running back over to Soundwave and staring in confusion at the scene as well. Then the red seeker’s arm moved slowly, but not forward, it moved up, slowly… In that moment Thundercracker’s optics opened wide in horror, his wings tensed and gasped in panic.  
  
«Skywarp!» He called, not even wincing when a bullet hit his wing, the adrenaline way too strong to make him feel any pain. His thrusters went on full power as he threw himself towards his trine leader in a desperate attempt to reach him.  
The purple flier at first moved away from the black and white Autobot, confused by the strong and sudden feeling of anguish he received through the bond, then screamed in panic as his optics focused on Starscream as well.  
«Stop him!» his blue trine mate yelled.  
  
The red seeker suddenly made a quick movement and brought the gun up and pointed it on his own helm.  
Shoot already, right?  
«No!!»  
«What are you doing?!»  
«Stop!»  
  
And he pulled the trigger.


	2. Shattered

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta Killuascreamer
> 
>  
> 
> This chapter contains graphic desrciption of gore. Robot gore but still gore. You've been warned. 
> 
> \--
> 
> Units of time:
> 
>  
> 
> 1 Nanoklik - 1 second
> 
> 1 Cycle - 1 minute and 30 seconds
> 
> 1 Joor - 1 hour
> 
> 1 Solar Cycle - 1 day
> 
> 1 Deca Cycle - 10 days
> 
> 1 Stellar Cyle - 1 year
> 
> 1 Vorn - 80 years

  
A single shot was everything it took to make the complete silence fall on the battlefield.  
  
No one moving anymore, no one shouting. In reality, a couple of noises followed the deafening one, but they seemed so silent after the first that no one heard them.  
Thundercracker didn’t even feel the blue plating of his already injured leg literally crumbling into pieces under the power of his overheated thrusters, he didn’t feel any pain as his large wings bent unnaturally as he hit the hard ground, splattering boiling energon all around. His glowing optics focusing on his own dark servo, grabbing tightly the pale metal of his trine leader’s leg, so tight it dented under the pressure. It was the first part he managed to grab in attempt to tackle him on the ground, making him lose balance, making him drop the weapon… anything that would have made him shoot anywhere but against his own helm.  
Skywarp arrived there less than a nanoklik before his blue trine mate, teleporting as best as he could in such a bad moment when panic didn't allow him to focus at all. In fact he found himself with both his pedes stuck in the soil and just a little too distant from the frame of his leader to reach him. He was holding himself up with a servo while the other was extended as much as it could, the long and sharp digits only able to brush lightly the side of a wing. The loud noise that came so close to him in the moment he teleported still echoing through his processor. His optics open wide, staring down and at Starscream’s form, laying immobile on his back.  
A thin trail of energon running down the irregular and dusty ground, it reached the purple seeker’s trembling servo he used as a support. It was warm. It wasn’t his own… it couldn’t be his leader’s. No…  
  
Thundercracker, differently from his mate who remained immobile just staring at the fluid, moved his helm forward and pressed his servos on the ground to allow himself to look up at Starscream’s face plates. His optics open wide, staring at sky. His denta clenching tightly and the right side of the helm sprayed in a shining purple liquid dripping down his chin and trickling on the neck cables.  
The blue seeker already felt coolant gathering in the seams of his optics, then tears sliding down the pale cheeks. He couldn’t give a damn about the pain he was feeling in his burning pede, nor about his own wings broken and leaking, the only thing he thought was “This didn’t just happen”.  
  
Then something caught his attention, a movement coming from the right side of the seeker laying on the ground. He slowly pushed his attention there, examining every single part of metal he saw. The rigid arm of his leader, still raised and completely covered in fresh energon. The blue flier followed its trail and found its source in the middle of the blue wrist, a metallic and sharp object impaling it from side to side. A gush of fluid flowing from there and stopping at the elbow, gathering on the ground underneath and then crawling down to Skywarp’s immobile servo.  
The seeker looked back up on the wound. The liquid on the dark face plates… came from there, not from the helm. Behind the once blue servo he could see a dark wire, thick and resistant, more like a chain. It was rigid as well, looking almost like a long rod instead. At the opposite end, he finally saw its owner.  
  
The Decepticon medic stood immobile on his pedes holding tightly to the chain with his firm bright green servo, the flaming scarlet visor focusing on the red and white seeker. A thin trail of energon running down his cheek from under the resistant glass.  
As his optics focused on the object, he finally recognized the shape. Curved, slim and pointy. A hook.  
The red Autobot, that probably punched the Constructicon Second in Command as he transformed, was quickly kicked away by the green Dectepticon who recovered faster than everyone else and ran over to the three seekers.  
  
Thundercracker was still immobile on the floor when he saw Soundwave getting there too and removing Megatron from the flier’s paralyzed servo and holding his leader’s form tightly in his own dark blue one. The silver mech remained immobile as a gun all the time, not even saying a word.  
  
No one actually said anything. No one except for Hook.  
He started to shout orders, starting with calling for his teammate «Long Haul!» while he carefully removed the sharp object from the seeker’s wrist, being careful not to cause more damage than what he already had. Even though he knew the whole servo was completely broken, not even attached to the rest of the arm, if not from just a couple of wires and energon lines that remained untouched, but those were going to get cut off as well to let him amputate it completely. It pained him harming other Decepticons like this, but he didn’t know if after missing the target the first time Starscream would have tried again. Immobilizing those digits was the most logical thing. He had to do it.  
  
When he glanced quickly at the blue flier on the ground, his mouth opened and gasped, shocked to see how much he literally destroyed himself to go stop his trine leader. «Long Haul! Would you fragging move?!» he barked, already losing his patience.  
  
Hook's companion arrived just a few nanokliks after, already transformed and engines rumbling, ready to move again. The medic lifted Starscream and pushed him up on his Constructicon mate, then used his hook and grabbed Thundercracker from his back,  pulling him up with them. «Go!» he ordered, positioning himself on the edge of the large bed and making sure they two wounded fliers wouldn’t fall off.  
  
  
It all happened so quickly that no one understood a thing, until Megatron transformed back and Scrapper called him «We must retreat. Now!»  
Everything was happening so fast yet so damn slowly at the same time. The silver mech knew Soundwave had told him something, but he didn’t understand a word and slowly turned the helm to look where the Autobot’s commander was just a nanoklik before. He then saw a purple seeker, hissing and tilting his wings up in a sharp angle, baring his denta at the Prime on the floor he apparently tackled down. The warlord noticed how he suddenly became overprotective and enraged, so similar to Ravage when they protected the Spymaster from an aggressor.  
Skywarp was being indeed very protective. He only needed to look quickly at his two wounded teammates to grow aggressive towards any sort of threat, and the closest one was represented by the Autobot leader who remained way too close to them for his tastes.  
  
The other Autobots seemed to be recovering from what happened as well and two approached the seeker as to defend Optimus. But when the flier snarled at them with such a ferocity, warning them with a pair of bloody red optics glowing through the dust, they both immediately stopped and did nothing to get any closer. The red and blue truck stood up immediately and pushed Mirage and Bumblebee back behind him, suddenly realizing how dangerous an enraged seeker could become. Megatron almost didn’t recognize the sly and childish Skywarp from Starscream’s trine. This fury and rage… they didn’t belong to him. How could it be possible he never saw that soldier being so aggressive during all the stellar cycles he’s been fighting?  
  
«Retreat Constructicons! Retreat!» Scrapper wouldn’t have waited Megatron’s order. He didn’t even think about staying a cycle longer on the battlefield. His gestalt would have listened to him, not to the warlord and this damn battle was over for what he knew.  
  
Hook was one step away from a nervous breakdown and he felt it through their bond, two seekers were leaking considerably and one of them just tried to suicide. The third one seemed completely out of control. No, no one could continue a battle like this.  
Scrapper glanced quickly at Scavenger who hissed and immediately turned away from the green Autobot Hound, giving the mech a hard strike with his strong and long shovel tail before jumping away, landing on all fours before transforming as fast as he could like he was ordered.  
  
Mixmaster and Bonecrusher following right after and reaching their leader's side. Scrapper felt the alchemist approaching him a bit more and he felt the usually carefree mech starting to worry too.  
He felt Hook’s tension through the bond as well, and it was rare for him to lose control in this kind of situation. This happened only when he was working and taking his damn time and somebody went to bother him. Everyone knows scientists and artists are to be left alone while working, especially if you don’t want them to snap and throw some unstable mixture on… wait. No that was just him!  
But Hook usually had his moments in the med bay or in a construction site, not on the battlefield. Then again, they never had experienced a mech who tried to suicide, so this kind of reaction wasn’t even that weird honestly.  
  
Megatron finally ordered everyone to retreat as well, this battle was lost with two seekers down and the constructions refusing to fight. He couldn’t blame them. Two of them left all of the sudden, they needed to be all together while fighting, or at least had to program things first. These sudden changes made them uncomfortable and lose attention.  
He saw Ramjet leaving his trine and flying over to Skywarp, grabbing him from his servo and pulling, managing to distract him from the Autobots. Once they both returned in the air, the Conehead leader joined his two mates again and whispered something at the two, glancing at the flier that followed them a bit slower. Dirge moved first, powering down the thrusters and positioning himself over the purple seeker. He began to pet the black and delicate appendages that slowly moved down, laying low against the back. Thrust instead moved at his left, slowly catching the other’s servo in his own and gaining his attention.  
The Deception leader saw them talking, probably in their native language but only for a little while, because Skywarp soon pulled his servo free and brought it up to hide his white face plates. At that reaction even the dark red seeker began to stroke on the delicate appendage with his trine mate. Their leader remained distant, staying on the front and only looking back at the other three every once in a while.  
  
  
When they finally arrived back at there base underwater, Megatron was the last one who entered. He was still shocked from what happened. Soundwave had been repeating to him the count of wounded soldiers and how much energy they should produce after this defeat to replenish their supply, but he obviously would have asked him to report again later, because every number and word he pronounced just faded in the air before reaching his audio receptors.  
Starscream just tried to use him to kill himself.  
  
His treacherous Second in command who had been spending so much energy and solar cycles trying to assassinate him and become leader of the Decepticons… just attempted to suicide. If it wouldn’t have been for Hook, the warlord couldn’t have avoided it to happen. Starscream had moved so fast, he would have never expected this from the seeker.  
  
He would have expected literally anything… to be thrown at Prime... to be broken in half… to be crushed on the ground under his thrusters. But not this!

When he walked through the corridors of the base, directed to the med bay, Megatron could feel something aching inside of him. He hadn’t been hit by anything during the battle. It was up inside of his chassis, a feeling of something unknown pushing with insistence at his very spark, chewing all around.  
His seeker almost died. He decided to end his existence once for all, as if he was no longer afraid of death. As if he never actually begged him to spare his life and give him one more chance of being obedient and respectful. Was this what really bothered him? Being unable to threat his Second anymore?  
He heard Skywarp’s voice as he got closer. He was struggling to compose a sentence that made sense, mumbling something about his trine mates. As he got closer, there he was. Dirge and Thrust holding him back far from the entrance of the med bay, one servo wrapped around the purple arms and the other stroking lightly on the dark plating of his wings still laying low and shivering.  
  
«S-screamer… TC» Skywarp called the two nicknames he gave to his mates with a whisper, probably unable to yell anymore. The warlord noticed four parallel long lines scratched on the surface of the door. He probably arrived in a moment where the flier seemed to have calmed down way more than before. He seemed so weak and desperate that it looked more like the other two were not restraining him, but supporting him instead.  
«Lord Megatron…» Thrust was the first one who talked as he noticed the grounder’s presence «Starscream’s trine won’t be… operational for a while.» he murmured, avoiding the silver mech’s glance.  
«That’s what Hook said…» added Dirge before pulling the purple seeker up closer to himself as he began to shake again.  
  
«I…I wan…want» Skywarp whispered weakly, struggling to look at the entrance of the med bay through the coolant in his optics.  
The door hissed open and Ramjet walked out, looking up at the warlord and bowing his helm lightly, then looked at his trine mates «Take him to our quarters you two, don’t leave him here in front of the med bay!» he ordered quickly before returning his attention to his leader.  
  
«Hook’s very nervous about Thundercracker’s injuries» Ramjet started «But when I asked him about Starscream, he only told me to stop asking him questions.» he explained with a lower voice, despite the other seekers being already quite distant to hear him.  
  
Megatron nodded «Yes. Now go back with your trine and keep at least Skywarp out of trouble» he then dismissed him and stared at the door.

  
When he walked inside, he saw the green and purple Constructicon walking around, bringing wires with him and collecting other instruments before returning to the medical berth where Thundercracker was. In a corner he could see his companion Mixmaster, keeping the area all tidy, as to help the other to find what he needed quickly.  
  
The blue flier’s leg was tied down, a large tube of energon attached to his side and both wings removed, positioned on a different table to get repaired, both completely clear of any paint to allow the medic to work properly on them. Their owner was obviously into a forced stasis and not aware of what was happening around him.  
But as much as Thundercracker conditions seemed serious, Starscream actually scared the warlord. He was laying on a different berth, his whole right arm removed and open on a smaller table close to him, the blue servo missing. His optics were open wide, staring at nothing and the denta still clenched tightly. He looked completely paralyzed, as if that shot actually hit his processor and let it stuck in the moment he pulled the trigger.  
  
Megatron approached the flier and looked down at a completely ruined frame, paint missing, wings dented and scratched… every single scar he saw was caused by him. He did all that to the seeker and now under the lights of the med bay, he noticed how despite everything, Thundercracker’s frame seemed to be in a better condition than his trine leader’s one.  
  
Starscream had been hit just a couple of times during that battle, but seemed to be a survivor from a much longer fight… and maybe he was. No, not maybe. He was a survivor from a fight that lasted deca cycles, no, stellar cycles, and who finally decided that he no longer wanted to try and fight back.  
  
«He’s in a state of shock» Hook explained quickly «If you intend to talk to him, he won’t hear a word of what you’ll say, lord Megatron» he then ran over to the blue flier again and started to work on the damaged leg, Mixmaster quickly pushing the table close to him, ready to pass him the object he needed. The warlord returned his attention to his Second in Command.  
He slowly raised a servo and laid it on the only arm he had left, feeling how soft and fragile the metal was under his digits. He never really realized how delicate his seeker was. No… it wasn’t true. He knew very well that those of his kind were fragile and sensitive creatures, basing most of their language on physical contact and movements… but he just seemed to be ignoring it lately.  
He used a digit to stroke the dark face plates the medic carefully cleaned from all the energon and dust. The feeling inside of his chassis only growing stronger and starting to almost hurt him. He wasn’t nervous about the fact his seeker wasn’t scared of dying anymore, nor that he couldn’t have been threatened easily anymore. He was angry.  
  
Angry because he was the one who pushed his little seeker to feel this way, to make him wish to just die and stop all his suffering. He was tired of punishments. He was tired of insults and the tortures he made him go through. There was no way he could blame someone else for this. Starscream decided to end his life and it was only his fault. Megatron’s servo slid away and his arm returned limp against his side.  
Well what did he expect? He gave him no reasons at all to be alive. Why was he even surprised about this? Only an idiot would have thought he would have just kept on accepting every punishment and humiliation without finally growing tired of existing. How could he do that to his soldier? How did he even manage to ruin him so much?  
  
Those open optics didn’t belong to his seeker. Those inexpressive and wide optics of a terrified and dead mech…

Oh Primus what did he do?  
  
He then moved away and let the medic do his job, now working on the arm on the little table next to him. After at least a joor, Megatron left the med bay without adding another word. He didn’t stand looking at his Second anymore… he seemed so different he couldn’t even recognize him.  
  
And it hurt knowing he caused this change.  
Hook finally managed to connect all the damaged cables back to the metal of the arm and replaced the burnt ones with patience and keeping his servos steady as always. Everything took him other two joors and half of constant work without committing errors, then finally moved away and went to sit at the empty desk, servos gripping tightly onto each side of his helm.  
The alchemist looked at the arm, tilting his helm slightly to observe it, now glad to know his mate was taking a break from work, all this situation stressed him and he really didn’t need this. The seeker was going to remain without the arm for a while, but it wasn't his fault. After all, he didn’t have the materials to create a new servo at the moment.  
  
«Medi-medi-medic?» he whispered softly, reaching behind his companion and running the digits onto the other’s shoulders before laying the servos flat onto them.  
«Mixmaster, I’m not in the—» he started but got interrupted quickly  
  
«Yes, Hook. Yes I know, I know-know! I know!» the Constructicon moved forward, laying his chin on top of the other’s flat helmet «Not in the mood, medic. But I am not in the mood to joke or play around neither.» he murmured softly while massaging his shoulders, attempting to calm him down.  
«I want to know what you didn’t tell-tell-tell us, Hook.» The crane Constructicon took a deep intake and laid his servos down on the desk.  
  
«I was a fool trying to keep things all for myself, I know. Let's not start this again. I just thought you wouldn’t care about all my artist issues at this point» he started to talk slowly, as if he still wasn’t sure about even bothering to say something or not.  
The door hissed open and Mixmaster turned the helm to see Scrapper approaching them «As if we’d suddenly stop caring» their leader commented, obviously hearing what his Second just said «I’ve always told you not to keep everything for yourself. You don’t have to talk to Megatron if you want to complain, but talk to me at least! Or anyone of us, for spark sake»  
The medic stood up and walked over to Starscream, making a movement for the other two to get closer as well. He then slowly ran his skilled servos up the soft and badly ruined appendage. «Does this look okay to you?» he asked, not expecting an answer «This seeker…» he started to explain, moving his digits down the dented frame «This is a piece of art, his insides are perfect and built to make him the fastest and most agile seeker you could ever find… I wasn’t the one who built this… but I’m allowed to make him perfect after every battle, giving him back his true form of Wing lord of Vos.»  
  
Hook looked down and sighed, arms shaking lightly. «And every time I’m only allowed to do just what’s necessary to make him stand on his pedes!» he growled, tightening his denta and hissing «I am a skilled medic, and this is what I do for him?!». He moved away and paced around the berth «Look at him! Does that look like one of my best works to you? It’s almost been a half stellar cycle, I’m no longer proud of what I do to repair him! Not even a drone is left in such a decadent state!»  
  
Scrapper remained silent as his Second was allowed to vent fully, listening carefully and when the other was done, he looked quickly at the alchemist, then approached his companion and wrapped an arm around his shoulders «You need some rest, Hook. Recharge and try to relax. I’ll discuss with Megatron about this.»  
Mixmaster nodded «Soundwave’s keeping an eye on the cameras tonight. You can trust him, you can trust him! Whatever happens he’ll tell immediately to you and Mega-Mega-Megatron, you know that.»  
  
  
The Constructicon leader let the two turn back to their quarters while he decided to talk to the warlord instead. He wanted to go discuss this immediately. Maybe this time Megatron would allow the medic to repair his Second properly, after all the poor seeker went through a lot. He could be merciful for once, despite the disrespectful behavior of the flier. But he wouldn’t have talked about anything else, today he already took decisions on his own and it was obvious the grounder didn’t appreciate it at all, better not push his patience too much and wait a little more before touching any other topic about Starscream.  
He met the ex gladiator in the corridor, busy discussing with Blitzwing and Astrotrain. His bright green color catching all three mech’s attention quite quickly and the two were dismissed just a cycle later.  
  
«Lord Megatron…» Scarpper bowed the helm, walking closer to the taller mech. He decided to apologize first «I am very sorry for leaving the battlefield so suddenly without proper authorization from you.» his voice calm and quite low, hoping not to enrage the other.  
«You simply anticipated my order, Scrapper» was the simple answer «I wouldn’t have continued to fight with those two seekers down.»  
Everything seemed to be going fine for now, Megatron wasn’t acting angry at all, but the smaller mech could tell he was very nervous, well who wouldn’t be?  
  
Nobody expected what… what actually happened all of the sudden. Well, maybe Hook expected something like this happening. It might have been the case since he managed to see what was about to happen and stopped the seeker’s servo just in time. He was keeping an eye on him. Maybe he just had a bad feeling, or maybe it was something else.  
  
Megatron opened his mouth again, ready to ask what else he wanted to talk about, since it was pretty obvious the Constructicon was trying to find the right words to say what he had mind. But in that moment Soundwave’s voice echoed through his processor, catching him off guard. But the sentence that was pronounced by that usual flat voice that this time hid a hint of worry, made his spark wince in his chassis.  
_-Starscream: left the med bay-_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little thing I need to say: Mixmaster speakes in a weird way, yes. I know he dos it only a couple of times in the cartoon but I like it as a characteristic.


	3. Sharp shards

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta Killuascreamer
> 
>  
> 
> Units of time:
> 
>  
> 
> 1 Nanoklik - 1 second
> 
> 1 Cycle - 1 minute and 30 seconds
> 
> 1 Joor - 1 hour
> 
> 1 Solar Cycle - 1 day
> 
> 1 Deca Cycle - 10 days
> 
> 1 Stellar Cyle - 1 year
> 
> 1 Vorn - 80 years

Megatron saw that Scrapper’s visor flashed a nanoklik before he immediately turned around, shuddering. As if the Constructicon had just been hit by a sharp bar that pierced his back and impaled him. Hook obviously received the same message from Soundwave and his leader probably felt a wave of panic flowing through his frame across their bond. It didn’t take him more than five nanokliks to understand what happened and immediately sprinted back to the med bay followed by the grounder who easily passed just next to him, somehow managing to run faster. He didn’t know how he managed to do it since he wasn’t one of the fastest mechs, too big and heavy to be so agile.  
  
The seeker was weak and wouldn’t have went far at all. He was probably around there. But he was alone. Whatever he was going to do, the warlord didn’t care about finding out, even if it would have been something innocent.  
Innocent… Starscream? That didn’t sound right. It sounded very stupid actually.  
It took them less than a cycle to get back to the med bay and since they haven’t seen him from where they came, he obviously went the opposite direction. The supposition he went that way was confirmed by a trail of tiny drops of energon that started from there and continued down the corridor.  
  
He was leaking. The silver grounder gasped as an image of his Second in Command laying on the berth flashed through his processor. He was in a terrible state, but not leaking. He had been cleaned of the stains he had on his face plates and his badly damaged arm completely removed from his frame.  
  
Why was he leaking? What did he do?! There were so many sharp objects in that place. Did he try to stab himself? Did he try to slice his neck cables? No, Soundwave would have told him… wouldn’t he? Or maybe he simply decided to keep this detail to himself and avoid making both his leader and the medic start to panic. No, Hook should have known if that was the case! He should have been ready to operate immediately and the communication officer wouldn’t hide such important information.  
The Constructicon behind him suddenly stopped, then opened the door to the med bay and ran inside instead. While Megatron continued down the hallway he heard other mechs running somewhere in front of him, he turned a corner and saw the long shovel tail of Scavenger followed by Hook, both literally jumping in the wash racks in a hurry. He then heard a very familiar voice as he approached the room himself, but the tone was completely unknown…scared, weak and confused «Medic…?»  
  
Megatron stopped just at the entrance, grabbing the side of the open door with his dark servo, preventing himself from slipping as he stopped so suddenly after running that fast. The barely brightened area didn’t allow him to see much, except for the wet floor and the excavator standing close to a wall, panting heavily and tail vibrating nervously. He finally focused on the darkest corner of the room and spotted the medic crouched on the floor and turning his back from him. He stepped inside and saw Scavenger still had the battle mask removed when the smaller mech turned suddenly towards him, obviously noticing his presence now.  
  
The Decepticon leader knew they used to take them off while recharging or simply while they spent their time in their quarters. This meant they literally ran from the berth, while they were probably resting a few cycles ago, to run after Starscream. He didn’t have time to put it back on and didn’t even seem to think about the problem in the moment he saw the warlord walking closer.  
Megatron then focused again on the other Constructicon, kneeling on the humid floor, his back moving rhythmically: a sign he was also panting but way slower and controlled. He finally saw the figure in front of him. Silver.. white and red. Starscream.  
The warlord noticed the wings first, shuddering and laying low, then his black helm laying on the medic’s purple chassis. His glowing optics turned another color. A weak and unnatural yellow mixed to a hint of orange. Not those beautiful and scarlet optics of the Winglord that rained death to his enemies… but two optics of a broken mech, too scared to even try to talk or move.  
«Me… medic…» Starscream repeated with even lower voice if possible, while a shivering servo grabbed lightly on the crane’s shoulder. Hook took a deep intake and started to caress the seeker’s ruined appendages, always keeping the other arm curled around the flier’s back. He was obviously trying to clam him down. It would have been easier to have his trine mates doing this but they obviously couldn’t get there now.  
  
«What are you looking for?» Hook asked, speaking slowly and allowing the other to have time to understand what he meant and then eventually answer him.  
After at least a cycle, the seeker’s glance moved from the doctor’s face plates and started to look around and seemed to be trying to recognize his surroundings.  
«Y-You too… Are we… dead?»  
That simple question made Megatron feel like dying himself. He'd never seen Starscream so terrified and confused, in so much pain and panicking. He could read all those expressions on the other’s face plates as he kept on looking around, back on the floor, walls, then at Hook.  
  
The medic removed the servo from the wing and used it to cup the flier’s shivering helm and hold it firmly to make him look up to his visor, took a deep intake and talked again with his low and deep voice and allowing the other to understand everything «No, Commander. We are alive. You are alive.»  
There was another cycle of silence, until the Constructicon Second in Command finally started to move away, trying to get up and then pick up his patient to bring him back in the med bay. He woke up and probably felt his side hurting because of the energon tube, so he tore it off. In fact he saw the removed armor on his side leaking lightly, but nothing too serious as it already started to get self repaired. He didn’t know if what happened was a good thing or a bad thing. Without it they would have taken more time to understand where Starscream went, without a trail to follow.  
But when Hook finally moved, Starscream managed to see the tall figure of his master standing there. He gasped and threw himself backwards, kicking and stopping just when his shivering wings hit the hard wall. His only arm moved up in an almost unconscious attempt to protect his helm, obviously afraid of getting hit.  
Megatron hissed lowly, that reaction managing to make him feel even worse than the sentence he heard a couple of cycles before this. He did nothing to scare him, he just stood there. This wasn’t his Starscream. This was no longer the proud Winglord of Vos, the wild and elegant seeker.  
Hook slowly moved closer to wrap his arms around Starscream's back once again, having the flier wincing and starting to struggle to get out of his grasp, but soon managed to stand up after collecting him from the floor. He didn’t do anything else and remained still, so the other slowly started to calm down after a while, curling his legs around the medic’s waist, as if too afraid to touch the wet surface with the pedes again. Starscream then moved the only arm he had left to grab firmly on the green shoulder of the Constructicon, returning to laying his helm against Hook's chassis, optics offline.  
  
Scavenger approached his companion and looked down at the mech in his arms. Constructicons were big mechs sure but they weren’t much bigger than him, and despite that, all curled up with the wings laying low he looked like a small and scared sparkling.  
The medic soon left the wash racks, heading back to the med bay where the seeker should have stayed. Megatron didn’t say a word and didn’t even leave the small room right away. He stood there, trying to understand the mech Hook just took with himself was really Starscream and not a young scared prisoner. Even if he really looked like one. How could it be even possible? Did this happen suddenly? It seemed so. Just a solar cycle ago he was… fine. Right?  
  
No he wasn’t. He obviously hid his feelings well. Or maybe he didn’t even hide them. Maybe he was the one too blinded by anger who couldn’t see the cracks in his Second. He simply kept on hitting him repeatedly. And this time he finally broke.  
  
  
«I’m sorry Hook… I thought you may have needed to rest. I didn’t imagine this would have happened» Scrapper was standing next to Thundercracker, having already checked his conditions as his mate asked him. Starscream seemed to have completely ignored him as he woke up and went outside after tearing away the energon tube from his side. Probably too confused to even realize where he was.  
The medic placed the seeker back on the berth, reattaching said tube and taking at least two cycles convincing the jet to let go of him, but kept calm despite everything. Scavenger remained at the entrance, finally remembering about his missing mask as he started to rub the corner of his mouth with the glossa and finally hurried to shut it over his face plates.  
  
The red and white flier let out a startled gasp when he was tied down, and at this point the excavator ran to help his companion, keeping the kicking legs down so the other could have restrained them. It was unnatural seeing Starscream shaking and struggling so much, unable to form sentences and spitting out just some words in his native language.  
«He’s not coming here, Commander.» The crane said calmly, a servo stroking on his helm. Scavenger understood immediately. That was the problem then. He was afraid to get hurt, since being tied down reminded him of...  
  
of all the times he got punished by the leader.  
  
«I do need rest Scrapper» the medic answered after forcing the Air commander into a stasis as well «I really do, you’ve no idea how much. But These two…» he sighed and paced around the room, already starting to clean the tables, but his leader stopped him as he grabbed firmly onto his wrist.  
«These two are into stasis now» He started «You need rest before working on them tomorrow, because I know it’s an important and delicate operation that requires concentration. You need to go recharge now.» He then looked at Scavenger, silently asking him some help.  
  
«Yes, it’s true» He said, grabbing onto the other servo and pulling «Don’t you feel how worried Bonecrusher is? He only managed to see you finally joining us to lay down for one cycle before you suddenly jumped out, and left the room in a panic.»  
Hook let the two pull him away from the desk and Scrapper added «He’s the only one who you didn’t talk with today. Go to berth.» It wasn’t meant to sound like an order, in fact the medic took a deep intake and looked at the console near the two seekers one more time. Before he could even talk, his leader shook the helm «They need to be monitored, yes. Long Haul can do it» He said before adding «He always wishes to have a more important role. Just tell him what to do, he’s a skilled Constructicon, just like the rest of us.»

Scrapper and Scavenger left the room only when Long Haul arrived, the leader deciding to go back in their quarters to recharge too. No longer in the mood to go talk to Megatron now.  
Hook was still busy explaining everything to his mate, telling him to keep an eye on the monitors, call him immediately in case Thundercracker would have somehow managed to wake up. Then he grabbed a blue servo from his desk and handed him a smaller object «Now listen, I’ll have to build a piece identical to this one and I must have a reference, I need you to remove all the paint.» he explained, and the other tilted the helm shrugging lightly  
  
«Remove huh? Always remove» he sighed, but quickly nudged the other’s helm when the medic seemed to be getting nervous «It was only a joke, doctor» he purred.  
  
His companion immediately relaxed again and purred back «Thank you Long Haul… I know you probably wanted to recharge as well-» but got quickly interrupted  
«Oh please! For once you make me do something more important than disposing of random stuff and you think I’d rather lay in berth?».  
  
When Hook returned to the Constructions quarters, he saw that his mates still wanted to recharge together in the large berth. Their leader was in the middle as always, petting Scavenger’s helm that leaned against his side, shovel tail shifting lightly. On the other side he saw Mixmaster already in deep recharge and moving his mouth silently, as if he was still repeating a formula he intended to create as soon as he woke up. Next to him there was Bonecrusher who immediately looked up at him as soon as he heard the door hissing open, his visor glowing lightly. The medic smiled softly and immediately went to lay next to him, soon being immobilized in those strong green arms that pulled him closer. He then felt Scrapper’s skilled servo reaching to his back and stroking slightly, making him relax completely under his touch.  
  


Further down in the base, convincing someone else to recharge wasn’t as simple.  
  
Skywarp was feeling his bond getting suddenly interrupted where it should have met his trine mates instead. It was already hard for him staying so long without feeling Starscream… but Thundercracker always managed to make him ignore that. He made him understand that it didn’t mean their leader wanted them away, but it was a simple way he used not to share his pain with them. He kept it all for himself. But now Thundercracker’s bond was closed too. He was injured… he knew Hook obviously forced him into stasis. It was the regular procedure.  
  
But now he couldn’t feel anything. Anything at all. How could it be he remained the only one that didn’t even get scratched? If he reported some serious damage, maybe the medic would have gave that to him as well. At this point he could accept anything but staying like that, alone without his trine.  
He sobbed again, burying his pale face plates onto an unknown berth that didn't have his trine's smell on it. Two pairs of servos gently caressing in the middle of his wings, attempting to make him relax. Dirge looked at his trine mate, silently asking him to say something, not sure what to say to make the purple jet stop feeling so bad. But even Thrust remained quiet, there was nothing to say honestly. Skywarp was left alone, unable to feel his mates presence as the two were currently kept locked in the med bay. Both in serious conditions actually.  
Ramjet was sitting at the edge of the berth, looking at the three mechs. The smaller seeker already attempted to run out before and he could tell he was about to try again in a few cycles, the wings shuddering and his thrusters hissing, slowly preparing to get powered up. His frame was shaped differently, but their kind shared the same body language. He knew what that meant.  
  
As if right on cue, Skywarp suddenly pushed himself away from the two, turning around and getting ready to jump and fly away. Everything would have been much easier if he still had some energy to teleport. He felt a strong servo wrapping around his pede and yanking him back on the berth. Not gently, but not even as violent as he expected it to be after the third time.  
  
Dirge was the first to move after that, grabbing one purple arm to pull the mech up against his frame, this time finally deciding to wrap his arms around his waist as they both sat on the berth. The dark red jet shifted closer, and returned to stroke the sensitive appendages «Skywarp, it won’t change anything going there. They’re in stasis. Here or there, it doesn’t change anything.» he said, trying to make his voice sound at least a little softer that usual.  
As an answer, the dark flier sobbed again, tears rolling down his cheeks «He needed me. And I wasn’t a-able to save him» he tried to shout, but his vocals dying in a pained whimper. The two coneheads looked at each other then back at the smaller seeker. The deep blue mech hummed and pushed him back down on the berth and then lied down onto his side, using a forearm as support and curling his legs up until his golden wings hit against the other’s pedes. Thrust imitated his position, just form he opposite side so that they could both hold Skywarp’s legs still and prevent him from jumping away again.  
  
«He’s safe though» Thrust said, returning those gentle caresses to the dark wings on his smaller back «Even Thundercracker is!» They all knew why it was taking him so long to relax even just a little. They weren’t his trine mates. Their servos unknown to his frame and what he really desired were his mates’ ones. But they were all the same kind and knew what to do. Sooner or later he would have calmed down.

«But without Hook he would have died! What is my purpose if I can’t even teleport right?!» he tried to get free again but Dirge’s servos pushed down on his back, pressing his cockpit against the berth. And with his legs trapped, he couldn’t have moved much and he obviously couldn’t have escaped.  
  
«Nobody can do something right when they’re panicking» The blue cone head finally said «Except for Ramjet. He always manages to go get is head stuck somewhere and destroy himself even when he panics. No. Especially when he panics-» He added calmly, looking up at his trine leader quickly before giving his attention back to the pale face plates where he could see… a smile? The purple seeker was smiling lightly, the tears were still sliding down onto the berth but the flier’s red optics flashed in a slight hint of amusement.  
«H-heh… RJ, even your mates say you like doing that» he whispered. Well, that was more like the Skywarp they knew.  
Ramjet finally joined them on the berth, he grabbed onto his mates wings tightly, their sensors used to pain and way more numb than the dark jet's ones. He started to stroke lightly, grinning when he heard a low purr coming from the two «Well? It’s true. I like smashing into things. Isn’t that obvious?»  
  
Thrust fluttered his wings on the legs and murmured «Yes, he really is one of those mechs who likes using the head…» Skywarp smiled lightly again, allowing the two to wrap theirs arms around him, placing the servos on his large black plating that finally stopped shaking.  
They weren't his trine but they were seekers, just like him. They were trying to make him feel better. Despite their usual violent behavior, he could trust them now.  
  
It took them at least two joors, but he was finally recharging. «Finally, huh?» Ramjet whispered, playing with his mates wings.  
Dirge shivered lightly «Honestly…? I was afraid it would have been much worse».  
  
The white trine leader moved closer to the two, being careful not to hit against Skywarp, his optics darkening slightly. «So... I am good at having my helm stuck into things, huh?»  
  
The scarlet cone head pushed himself closer to the purple flier, challenging his leader «Wouldn’t want to risk hitting little Warp, would you?» he asked.  
  
Ramjet huffed and grinned «You’re lucky he’s here, I would have showed you two how much I like to use my head» he whispered while pulling away and sitting again close to their legs. A sly smirk appeared on his dark face plates as he affectionately pressed his sharp digits onto the plating of their black and yellow wings. The two shuddered, just to relax immediately and groaning, enjoying the pleasure that came from their leader’s languid strokes. He shook the helm and whispered «Shh. Keep it down you two…» a sudden glow in his bloody red optics «Wouldn’t want to risk waking up little Warp. Would you?»  
Dirge purred, biting his glossa and trying to keep quiet «A-ah.. Thrust let’s make this clear. It’s all your fault-»  
  
His mate immediately whispered back «Me? Y-you’re the one who started..!»  
The white conehead chuckled softly, he liked reminding these two who the leader was in their trine, even while they weren’t completely alone.  
  
  
In yet another part of the base, there was someone else who couldn’t recharge. And there was no one there convincing this one of doing so.  
In his quarters, Megatron kept on pacing around the room, downing his third cube of energon.  
  
Nothing helped to make that feeling leave. He could only think about Starscream, the mech he literally broke with his constant insults and physical punishments... Now he was feeling hurt too.  
He kept on thinking about him before, and now. Damn it, how had he not notice he had to stop the abuse? Did he really have to wait until the flier had enough, huh? He couldn’t think about it earlier? No. He couldn’t!  
He’d been insulting him for everything! Blamed him for every little mistake and made him regret his actions with his constant beating. He did everything he could to keep him far from the sky: he tore off his wings countless times and had him begging him to give them back in front of half the crew... in front of his once loyal seekers and his trine mates.  
  
Just a few solar cycles ago he was finally allowed to walk around again after remaining for a deca cycle locked in a small cell, too small for him, having his big appendages constantly rubbing against the walls. It had been so long since he managed to take flight alone or with his trine just to relax and calm himself. He prevented Starscream from being able to vent, he couldn’t even talk!  
Will he ever have his Starscream back? The strong and proud Winglord that he once was? Probably not. It was over.  
  
What had he told Hook? “He didn’t want him more useless than what he already was?” Well, guess what? He made him useless. He never was useless before! He was a perfect soldier, skilled, intelligent…  
  
Now what was he? A broken mech. He was the only one worth being his Second in Command. The Communication Officer was way too busy with work all day to be able to do what the jet could do.  
Suddenly, he heard him out side of the door, it couldn't be a coincidence. He should have been busy at the cameras, not walking through the base  
«Soundwave: requires to speak with Lord Megatron» he heard him saying before adding «Rumble: controlling the cameras while Soundwave’s here». It didn’t take him more than a nanoklik to open the door, seeing the blue tape-deck looking up at him, his red visor glowing in the dark hallway.  
«Get in Soundwave» he sighed, turning away and sitting down at the desk, cursing through his denta as he accidentally hit his cannon against the empty cube that fell on the floor and shattered it into pieces. The silent mech observed the shards as he moved closer.  
«You heard me, didn’t you?» The warlord asked without losing time, looking straight into the other’s visor. He knew the telepath always tried to keep out of his leader’s thoughts but it was obvious he’d been worried for him since the incident and this brought him to read everything he thought about, probably to check his mental state.  
  
Which wasn't in the best condition at the moment.  
The blue mech nodded slowly before speaking again in his usual flat voice «Megatron: is concerned about Starscream» he approached the ex-gladiator and continued «Megatron: is in pain».  
  
Megatron looked at the other, taking a deep intake and bringing his black servo against his chassis «Yes, my old friend. I’m… not even the victim here. I can’t understand why. I shouldn't think to have the right to feel hurt while he…» and he didn’t continue.  
  
There was too much to say about the seeker’s conditions… obviously worse than his!  
The tape-deck remained quiet for a cycle, thinking about what to tell his master. He had to make him understand easily and he would have never dared to make his lord feel worse with reminding him all he did to abuse the seeker through the stellar cycles.  
  
After a few silent cycles he spent staring down at the broken cube, he finally decided to make him see what to do in a different way. He walked closer to Megatron and grabbed the cube he just emptied from the black servo and held it firmly in front of himself, the blue digits gripping tightly on the glass. Tighter, tighter and tighter until the container cracked and broke in two pieces, cutting through the delicate metal. «Starscream: Broken» he said, then let the few drops of purple energon trickle from his palm «Shards: sharp and painful». He then bowed the helm, holding each piece in a servo «Megatron: hurt».  
His leader’s optics remained focused on him, unable to say anything even if he was tempted as he saw Soundwave leaking.  
  
The communication officer wasn’t done. He slowly put the pieces together forming the cube once again, his digits warming up enough to make the glass melt and get attached once again, he then poured the purple liquid of another cube in the one he just fixed, then gave it back to Megatron. This time he didn’t need to add one single word. Megatron understood everything. And the tape-deck knew that, having heard his thoughts once again.  
  
  
«One more thing Soundwave…» Megatron called him before he could leave his quarters, reaching for him and grabbing his wrist, observing the small cuts on the digits «I really thank you a lot. Just don’t hurt yourself again.»  
  
Soundwave looked down at his own servos then nodded, his voice suddenly softer «As you command, Megatron» he murmured without using his old friend's title, then walked out to turn back to Rumble.  
The Decepticon leader could still feel his spark aching, but he knew what had to be done at least.  
  
He never… ever did something like this before. He never tried to do something to help his Second in Command. This was the worst thing: he should have done it long ago! He should have treated him with the respect he deserved even for simply supporting his cause so many vorns ago.  
  
But Starscream wasn’t a cube of glass. Was he still in time to fix this? Or was his little seeker completely gone now?  
He growled and hit the desk violently with both his black servos.  
  
No... he didn't want to know if there was still time!  
  
Megatron vowed that would have never stopped trying to fix his Second, not even if it would have took him four million stellar cycles.  
  
Only a fool could simply destroy and destroy.  
He could do more... he could fix what he broke.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright let's talk about a few things now:
> 
> Relationships:  
> Uhm... Let's start with saying I'm always a bit confused because Decepticons aren't humans, so it's hard to describe.  
> In my headcanon Combiners have a very close relationship that keeps them all together, like the trines of seekers. But it's different from a relationship we humans may have with brothers or with our parthner. It's something else, a mix of the two we can say. One pf them may start a relationship with another mech, but won't ever leave the one he's into with his trine, the bond will always remain.  
> (hope i didn't confuse anyone)
> 
> Now about the eyes.  
> I don't know if it's canon or not, but i follow the headcanon where red (or blue)optics become yellow-orange when the mech's hurt or sick.


	4. Apart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta Killuascreamer
> 
>  
> 
> Units of time:
> 
>  
> 
> 1 Nanoklik - 1 second
> 
> 1 Cycle - 1 minute and 30 seconds
> 
> 1 Joor - 1 hour
> 
> 1 Solar Cycle - 1 day
> 
> 1 Deca Cycle - 10 days
> 
> 1 Stellar Cyle - 1 year
> 
> 1 Vorn - 80 years

He wouldn’t have tried to convince his master that resting was the best thing to do. No, not now. He wouldn’t have listened to him once again. And it was quite obvious he couldn’t have even managed to recharge, even if he actually tried. Soundwave could tell when it was time to stop trying to convince Megatron to do something, even if it was for his own well being.  
  
The warlord never hit him, but his glances full of rage were enough to make him feel like a failure. He knew he was the one working the most in the whole base every solar cycle, but when the warlord looked at him with such disappointment… he felt terrible. Only one of those looks was enough to make him bow the head and remain quiet for the rest of the solar cycle, unless he had to communicate something urgent. Now it wasn’t the moment to test his patience. The loud noise coming from the warlord’s quarters only showed him how angry he still was.  
  
The tape-deck knew he should have simply went back to Rumble to continue his job, but as he passed by the med bay, he stopped. The two seekers were both into stasis, no thoughts could be heard in the silence of that corridor, no thoughts except for Long Haul’s.  
  
The Constructicon was currently checking their state apparently. Soundwave approached the door, but remained outside. There was no need to get in at the moment.  
  
Soundwave simply thought about Starscream. Yes. The seeker wasn’t a cube of glass as Megatron told himself. He was way more complicated than any other mech in the base if possible. The telepath never asked why the warlord didn’t want him as his Second in Command, and choose the flier instead. There was no need to ask. He knew why. And he knew why he kept him as first lieutenant even after those countless attempts of assassination.  
He wanted to use him. It was too simple agreeing with everything he decided like a mindless drone, forgiving every cruelty. Like the mindless drone everyone described him as. Soundwave never actually agreed with it and knew what his leader decided to do was terrible. Using a once strong, proud and powerful seeker until nothing remained of him, sucking out everything he could offer him until the last drop of energon.  
  
Megatron took the seeker armada away from him, his title of Winglord, his freedom, his wings and literally pushed him to try to overthrow him. It was a harmful strategy to show the rest of the crew that anyone who tried to take his place would have been punished and reduced to scrap metal. Pushing one single mech to hate him and expecting to be betrayed, punishing him every single time. It was an excellent strategy, and it always did work perfectly.  
  
It was the most cruel thing Soundwave ever saw. He knew it was wrong. He knew what his master did was disgusting. But he wasn’t a drone. He couldn’t manage to tell his friend what he was doing had to stop. He did nothing to help the seeker despite knowing this would have happened one day. This was the worse thing. He sometimes wished the others to be right, telling him he was a drone. A drone wouldn’t have felt remorse, a drone wouldn’t have seen the cruelty in his master’s actions. A drone wouldn’t have felt like a huge hypocritical freak.  
  
Because that’s what he really was. Right? A hypocrite. What did he ever do to help the Air Commander? What did he ever do? Sure he sometimes tried to save him from getting punished, stealing Megatron’s attention. But he never really went up to the warlord and told him to stop with that madness. Stop abusing the flier like that. He never did it. Too bound and affectionate to his master, too afraid of feeling like a disappointment, too afraid to be seen as more attached to Starscream than to him. Too loyal and blinded by his old friend’s ideas.  
But who was he even trying to trick with these thoughts? Himself? He wasn’t blinded by that. He did respect his ideas, he was loyal, yes… but he wasn’t blinded by that at all.  
  
He was a coward. An hypocritical coward. Too scared to argue with his old friend. He was afraid of being called insubordinate. He was afraid those glances and words would have hurt him. After all… Starscream and him were both similar, weren’t they? Both afraid of the pain their leader would have caused them if they tried to disagree with him.  
  
But there were two big differences. The first one was that he had been the lucky one. The one the grounder got attached to and the one who hadn't been chosen as object to intimidate the crew. The second one was that Starscream wasn’t a coward and hypocrite like him.  
  
Many would have called him stupid. But he never remained silent when he wanted to talk, he always went to his leader when he wanted to express his disapproval. When the jet thought his strategies had flaws, he told him and got punished. When the tape-deck thought his lord’s actions were cruel, he remained silent.  
And now? Now himself, his Master and the Second in Command were suffering. What was he even thinking? Starscream’s trine was suffering, not just him! It was obviously worth reminding silent, too afraid to feel pain for ONCE in his existence, wasn’t it?  
  
  
The thoughts of hate and despise towards him were the first thing the Communication Officer could notice even before his optics could spot a bright sudden stain in the corner of the hallway. Green, yellow and blue.They arrived apparently. And they weren’t glad to see him in front of the med bay.  
«Look who’s checking if the almost dead Second is planning something» a too loud whisper reached his audio receptors, obviously meant for him to hear it. He slowly turned towards the three approaching mechs and remained silent, still and not even wincing at the violent images he managed to catch from their processors, all about him being taken apart in any possible way.  
  
«Oh but it’s not a surprise, Acid Storm» Ion Storm commented, with a way louder voice than his trine leader’s one «That’s what we must expect from a good obedient pet like him!» He finished, fluttering his wings mockingly.  
«Or maybe it’s something else?» growled the green flier who finally reached Soundwave, now circling around him with both ailerons high in a sharp angle. The yellow rainmaker just remained distant, next to his blue mate without talking. But he was the one sending him the worse images. He could see his own face plates melting and his throat cables being pulled out from his mouth... or what that hole in hismask was supposed to be, his deep blue frame getting dismantled in a pool of energon.  
The trine leader hissed close to his audio receptors «Yes, maybe you’re just checking to see if he recovers.» before pulling away, but the telepath could tell he just held himself back from tearing away his mask.  
  
But that wasn’t what made Soundwave start to get seriously alarmed.  
  
Their thoughts… and not those where they imagined torturing him, but other ones. Ion Storm was staring at him furiously, seeing the tape-deck as one silent killer who got sent by the warlord to make sure Starscream wouldn’t recover. He then turned to Nova Storm, the images stopping and he could hear the bright yellow jet thinking about him as replacement for the red seeker.  
  
They really thought this had just been a huge plan to dispose of the now ex-Winglord. They thought about how Megatron never wanted him as his second and only had to find a way to get rid of him without doing it himself… because that would have made all the seekers leave him. And now he managed to push him to suicide, Soundwave only had to finish the job making everything look like terrible incident. They started to get suspicious of both Megatron and him. This was beyond a serious problem.  
  
This would soon lead to a revolution or maybe simply cause them to lose all the seekers.  
They soon started to disrespect their leader after they saw him not managing to get respected by the warlord… but they now started to grow attached to him again, enraged and feeling like objects the ex-gladiator desired and took, then finally disposing of the one they followed for stellar cycles back on Vos. A once great city that didn’t even exist anymore because of the war MEGATRON caused.  
If the dark blue mech wouldn’t have been wearing his mask and visor, Soundwave would have obviously shown them how panicked he was feeling at the moment. He had to get away immediately. He didn’t want to put Ravage and Frenzy in danger. Laserbeak and Buzzsaw where both outside at the moment and his little cassettes didn’t need to deal with this situation.  
  
He turned around, as if to show he had nothing to hide and not afraid of getting hit for any reason.  
«What an arrogant fragger» Ion Storm hissed «turning his back to our leader…», but his bright yellow rainmaker companion shrugged, finally talking «Oh… let him do what he wants. We’ll remember about him in case he ever turns back up on Cybertron alone!» he grinned, red optics glowing «We’ll make sure he won’t turn his back on us again.» he added with a dark chuckle.  
  
The last image he received managed to make him speed up and hurry to go get Rumble. He could see his own dark blue frame strapped on a V.V.H. and his cassettes getting dismantled right in front of him.  
  
When he reached his room, that suddenly seemed so damn distant, he shut the door immediately and locked it.  
«Hey Soundwave! Has those rain-fraggers been bugging you—?» the little blue mech stopped talking when the tape-deck quickly picked him up and hugged him tightly. He didn’t care if this situation was all his fault. He deserved to be the one having all his energy drained by that torture device, locked in a cell alone back on Cybertron, with those seekers tormenting him in any way they imagined. His cassettes didn’t deserve that. He couldn’t allow this to happen to them.  
  
Rumble pushed him lightly «Hey what happened?» the little mech asked again, but receiving no answer.  
  
«Rumble» he finally said after five cycles of literally nothing «Transform and return» and the cassette only followed his order. Soundwave wasn’t in the mood for discussing and maybe it would have been better waiting at least until the next morning. Not that he would have waited long, this planet’s star would have soon shown itself. Hm, right, maybe it would have been better waiting after he finally had some rest too.  
  
  
Everyone except for a couple of mechs managed to get some rest. Even Skywarp did, who now slowly started to wake up and stretched his big dark wings. Looking around and remembering where he was. Dirge was laying in front of him, awake but with an arm still wrapped around his back, servo laying on the large plating of his appendages.  
  
«He woke up» Thrust said from behind Skywarp, slowly releasing him to sit up.  
The blue conehead remained silent and stretched lightly, but didn't let go. In fact, he was now able to pull him closer and snuggle the smaller seeker. «You really move a lot while recharging»  
  
Ramjet was up and walking around the room, going to get back the weapons they all took of while recharging. That night he noticed they left his own on, probably not to make him feel unharmed in a place he didn’t even know, surrounded by three jets known for their short temper and violent behavior. After all, they were given a very small room separated from the seeker's shared quarters because of all the fights they kept on causing.  
«Well, you kept on smashing your head into the berth!» the dark flier purred. The white trine leader growled lightly, jumping over the purple seeker and staring down at him «Now, except for the fact it’s true, you couldn't have known since you were recharging.» he then smiled lightly and shook his helm when he heard the smaller jet snickering and then moved away.  
  
Thrust jumped off the berth and stretched his wings lightly. Dirge looked at his two mates and then back at Skywarp. Even if they tried to be friendly with him, the blocked bond wasn't something easy to ignore.  
Apparently he was beginning to get upset once again, but they had to leave. Now who would have kept him distracted?

He finally let him go and jumped off the berth too, looking at the other and saw him sitting up, taking a deep intake and starting to look at the door. He had all the energy to teleport now. To go see his mates. But Ramjet laid a servo on his shoulder «Listen, I’m not sure it’s a good idea going there. I wouldn’t want my mates to see me in the conditions yours are into at the moment».

Well, he was probably right… but Skywarp wanted to be close to them. He needed to feel their plating under his digits and the warmth of their spark through the glass of their cockpit. Maybe they hadn't even woken up yet! Seeing them both into stasis would have been much worse, probably. He suddenly felt Dirge’s servo laying back onto his wings and stroking softly. Dirge hadn't spoke much since they took him in their quarters last night, but was the one who gave him more physical affection. It was probably due to his usual angry voice and threatening tone, so he simply preferred to remain quiet and not to make him worry for nothing.  
Yes, the coneheads were known for their violence and the way they literally terrified enemies during an attack.

But despite everything, they’ve been so kind to him. He couldn’t deny the fact he wished to stay there in their arms for a little more, their gentle strokes distracting him from the pain. He couldn’t simply hope someone else understood how to take care of a hurt seeker… except for another seeker. The other seekers were all in the much larger room right next to this smaller one.  
  
That night, before they tried to make him lay down and rest, he was told the rainmakers had been called as an aerial support now that his trine wasn’t able to help in any possible way. But Acid Storm and his trine weren’t known for their gentleness neither. Quite the opposite honestly. Sure, even the coneheads were violent, but those three were completely different. Not known for their brute force, but for their pleasure to see mechs melting under the rain and pushing the enemies into a slow and violent demise. He didn’t want their servos on his plating… They’ve stayed too much with Shockwave back on Cybertron.  
When Ramjet’s trine left the room, their leader looked at him for the last time, as if to tell him not to do anything stupid and think twice before going to the med bay. The purple seeker sighed and crossed his arms. Well. Thinking twice wasn't something he was used to do. And not even thinking just once honestly!  
  
  
«Thundercracker!» Long Haul ran from the desk and reached the blue mech that just started to wake up from the stasis while quickly calling Hook through their comm link to as his companion had requested.  
«Uhh… my back… leg... hurt» the wounded flier murmured, opening his now yellow optics and hissing lightly in pain, before his tired expression suddenly changed into one of panic. His wings… where were his wings?! «M-my.. wings… wh-where…?»  
The Construction quickly tied the seeker on the berth at his first attempt to stand up. These kinds of mechs always had panic attacks if their wings were not at their place. No, they literally went crazy! When he looked back up at his white face plates, the truck saw him still looking up at his visor with a startled expression as if he was afraid of him, expecting to be attacked. He had to reset his vocalizer before speaking «Uh… they’re over there actually, Hook will fix them soon…» he never saw that usually stoic seeker losing control like this.  
Luckily the medic walked in just a few cycles later «Thundercracker… I see you’re already awake.» he said calmly, approaching the berth and laying a servo on the flier’s cockpit  
  
«W-where… what…?» Thundercracker shivered and kept his optics on the red visor of the crane.  
«Relax. Your wings are over there» he explained, pointing at the table where he put them «I’ll attach them on your back soon, now, stop fretting» he then went to check both his patients conditions on the large screen of the console. Long Haul approached him, feeling already calmer now he arrived. He knew how to handle these situations.  
«A-ah… S-starscream!» The seeker gasped, pulling against the restrains and trying to get off the berth «H-how is he?! H-he’s—»  
«Alive, Thundercracker. And his physical conditions are much better than yours if you wish to know». The seeker sighed in relief, the panic about his missing wings already gone once he saw the frame of his trine leader. Yes, he was alive. When Hook pushed him up against him during the battle, he felt the heat of his spark… he couldn’t be offline. At that thought he was forced back into stasis.  
  
The Constructicon Second in Command hummed in approval, stretching his digits and going to untie the blue flier. «Do you mind helping me again, Long Haul?» he asked, smiling lightly at his companion.  
«Of course not, what do we do now?» the other answered quickly, already helping his mate to untie the seeker. Finally someone made him do a different job that had nothing to do with disposing of junk! It was probably because Scrapper and Hook talked last evening, the crane always insisted to do everything on his own.  
  
«I must reattach his wings… and I have a couple of prosthesis to attach to these two as well…» he started, pointing at a larger berth in a corner «put him there, turned onto his cockpit. I must work on his back» he added, already going to collect his tools and pushing the table with the wings closer.  
«Obviously. But…Prosthetic? » the bigger Constructicon asked, tilting lightly his helm «You mean uh…»  
«I need a bit more time to fix his pede and what will take me way more time will be creating a new servo for Starscream» the medic explained as he approached his mate. He almost grabbed one of the silver wings that the door hissed open. Who now?  
  
«Ah doctor Hook. I see you’re already working» a soft and quite unusual voice reached the medic’s audio receptors and immediately turned around. Apparently the rainmakers arrived while he was recharging…  
«What can I do for you, Acid Storm?» Hook huffed, getting already nervous about being interrupted just as he started to operate. Long Haul sensed his slowly rising anger but remained quiet, looking at the three bright seekers.  
  
The trine leader looked around, then his gaze stopped on the red Air commander «I just came here to know if Soundwave has been to the med bay recently». There was something wrong in his voice, he seemed angry… no, more than angry. And why did he ask him that? They’ve already got in a fight with the Tape-deck?  
«No, he hasn’t.» he quickly answered «Our Communication Officer is a very hard target for those Autobots». Ion Storm approached him, growling lightly. Yes, they definitely had a fight with him. «We don’t doubt his abilities. But, our leader meant if he’s been in here yesterday or tonight.»  
  
Long Haul could feel Hook growing impatient. He didn’t want to be bothered in these situations «I guarded the med bay tonight and no. Soundwave’s been away all the time, he never put one pede in here. Now… You get out and let him work! He can’t focus with people asking him useless questions!»  
The medic looked at Nova Storm who approached the red flier and circled around his berth, then looked up at his leader again after sighing in relief «He’s alive!».  
  
Well of course he was alive! What did they think?  
  
Suddenly, even the bright green jet relaxed «That’s… all we wanted to know. Keep the Air commander safe… please.» he calmly said before leaving with his two mates.  
They were worried about Starscream? Was that their problem? Well, understandable, but what was the problem with Soundwave?  
Alright. No time to think about this! He had to concentrate. Thundercracker’s wings. Yes.  
  
For the rest of the joor, his Constructicon mate remained silent and only did what he was asked. Hook would have told him everything and right now, he was more than happy to help him. Especially when he saw the crane finally relaxing again and taking all the time he needed to reattach the silver appendages to the flier’s back. Yes, still silver. But At least the insignia was there. Megatron wouldn’t have liked to have his soldiers walking around without that purple brand.  
«So, Hook. They’ll walk around with those prosthesis for now?» Long Haul asked as he went to pick up a completely gray leg from a desk and placed it on the smaller table.  
  
«Yes… Thundercracker’s energon lines are still healing over here...» the crane explained, pointing with a sharp tool at the flier's knee «I’d rather make this whole process less painful for him. Let’s just say he won’t feel this replacement at all».  
He then started to work, connecting the new part to the knee joints «As for Starscream… The prosthetic is bit more complicated. He needs both servos, since I can’t send him to walk around with only one. His mental state is already quite serious. Making him feel unarmed would only make things worse…»  
Long Haul sighed and looked at the red flier «I never expected him to-»  
«I did.»  
  
The bigger Construction quickly looked back at his mate, a wave of confusion running through the bond, so that the medic started to talk without needing to hear questions. «I’m… a doctor, Long Haul. I can tell when something’s wrong. And trust me, we’re lucky he didn’t try something in his own wash racks at night, but when I around and keeping my optics on him.» he sighed and started to connect the little wires, despite how upset he was starting to feel again, the servos remained steady and didn’t even tremble «For quite a while I was afraid before the moment finally arrived».  
  
There was half a joor of silence and constant working. Then the medic pulled lightly on the seeker’s leg and tested its movements before talking again «I did nothing to help him while I could. I should have tried harder, despite his aggressive behavior towards me.»  
Hook felt his companion tensing «Aggressive?! Why? You’re the only one who puts him back together after his idiotic attempts to overthrow Megatron and-»  
«It’s not that weird that he doesn’t like me» he quickly laid a servo on the truck’s arm «We’re both Second in Command and differently from his superior, Scrapper has never hurt me even when I make him get nervous.» he explained calmly «And when he does it’s very rare… and he doesn’t do it in front of everyone!»  
The medic then paced over to Starscream «It’s the same reason why he doesn’t like Soundwave. We both get treated way better by our leaders».  
  
Long Haul picked up the blue seeker and went to put him back on the old berth before shrugging «Well, yes but neither you or Soundwave ever tried to kill Megatron. Or… Scrapper! You’d never do it!»  
Hook took a deep intake and turned to look at him «Yes, but not even Starscream ever tried when he first joined the Decepticons.»  
«He… never…? I didn’t even notice at first honestly- ». It was true. He didn’t even remember when this problem started. He was so used of seeing the Air commander getting constantly taken apart and punished by Megatron that he only started to see the seeker as a little idiot who couldn’t understand that he had no hope to win against his leader, but… Yeah. When did this even start?  
«I’ve no idea why lord Megatron started to hate him so much all of the sudden… and saying that at first he seemed to really admire him. He wanted him in his army… I’ve never seen him working so much to convince someone to join his cause.».  
  
  
«Soundwave would you tell us what those three highlighters told you?» Frenzy repeated for the third time, jumping up and down the Tape-deck’s chest once he finally woke up. If only he hadn't fallen asleep that night in his chest he'd know everything! Rumble told him something was wrong with him and now they both wanted to know what bothered him so much. But the telepath didn’t want to worry the two cassettes. And didn’t want them to go annoy the rainmakers for nothing, they would have hurt them… and this would have only made Acid Storm’s trine become even more suspicious.  
  
Besides, not saying anything would have simply led the little twins to go to them and, probably, tell them to stay away from him. Which could be much worse.  
«Acid Storm: doesn’t trust Soundwave.» he said finally, grabbing the two and sitting up on the berth «Acid Storm: Concerned about Starscream».  
  
The little red mech struggled free and went to climb up his shoulder «So? You’re not the one who shoot him!»  
His brother quickly followed him on the opposite arm «Yeah. He did it all alone! You would have even helped him if you weren’t so far in that moment!»  
«Acid Storm: can’t know about it.»  
  
When the two finally calmed down, the telepath managed to convince them to stay away from the rainmakers until things would have started to hopefully turn back to normal. He added to never walk around the base alone and especially to stay far away from the seeker’s shared quarters. The last thing he wanted was a flier to grab them, pull them inside and then... and then, with so many seekers how could they possibly win or struggle free? Especially if Acid Storm’s trine was in there. Their kind had this particularity of being so attached to one another, it wouldn’t have been a surprise finding out they already started to team up. And this was terribly worrying.  
And speaking of seekers, one of them was right out of his door. What was he even doing here?  
Before Rumble could run over there, Soundwave pulled him up and shoved him back in his chassis with his brother.  
  
Only now his cassettes were safe and locked in there he could open the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you don't know what a V.V.H. (Variable Voltage Harness) is, it's a torture device that hurts people. It sucks energy and electrocutes mechs. It's a bad thing. Don't go look it up it's BAdItellyouNuJazzlittleangeldidn'tdeserevanyofthat 
> 
>  
> 
> And everything's crumbling down. From here things will get worse, I'm warning you.
> 
> Also, this story doesn't just spin around one single character as you noticed. I try to show more character's point of view on things and express their feelings. It's kinda hard. I hope it doesn't confuse things. But I really felt the need to make people see things from their perspective as well. And I also try to change a bit their personality... because I just can't keep them one way as if they're characters with their tag like in old teathre. The good, the bad, the one who doesn't care- no. I want to give them a bit more emotions to show.


	5. Missing pieces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta Killuascreamer
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>  
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> Units of time:
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>  
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> 1 Nanoklik - 1 second
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> 1 Cycle - 1 minute and 30 seconds
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> 1 Joor - 1 hour
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> 1 Solar Cycle - 1 day
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> 1 Deca Cycle - 10 days
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> 1 Stellar Cyle - 1 year
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> 1 Vorn - 80 years

«Good morning, Communication Officer»  
It wasn’t Acid Storm. Nor a seeker from his trine. It was another another one. A light brown flier that Soundwave rarely met even while simply walking around the base. He rarely heard his voice and this was one of the first times he went to talk to him directly. Actually, there was nothing wrong with this soldier. He was one of the many jets that simply stayed out of trouble, not caring to get a higher rank, not caring to speak much, not caring to make decisions at all. He wasn’t even sure if he had a trine honestly.  
  
His frame was shaped differently from any other flier in the base. Large tan wings attached to his long beige legs, held completely still and showing no emotion. He seemed to be built like the coneheads, but there was no actual cone head. That part of his jet mode was attached to the back, his light brown helm more similar to the ones of regal seekers like Starscream.  
  
«Sandstorm: requires Soundwave’s assistance?» the dark blue mech asked, trying to read his mind, honestly expecting his cassettes to be in danger and what he heard only confused him and made his spark wince in his chassis.  
“Get away. Just get away.”  
«Yes.» the other answered instead «I was told that Rumble and Frenzy should go help Scavenger do a job»  
“Stop staring at me and just send them away.”  
  
Apparently he was right about being worried for his cassettes. They weren’t going to wait till they found them alone in the corridors. They were already trying to pull them away from him. No. He had no intentions to leave them alone. The Spymaster felt his spark spinning crazily inside his chassis, he was glad to have the mask and visor still covering his face plates so that he just seemed calm and controlled as always. «Scavenger: would have informed Soundwave personally.» he answered, making the other understand he had no intention to send the cassettes out.  
“Stupid tape-deck.”  
«He probably forgot»  
«Scrapper: methodical. Would have reminded Scavenger.»  
There was no damn way he would have believed him, it was obviously a trap. This was his fault and they were going to get hurt too.

If only he had done something earlier, then the seekers wouldn’t have started to think how to make him pay, even if he did nothing wrong and didn’t want to cause Starscream harm in any possible way, it wasn't a surprise that they didn’t trust him anymore. If Starscream was the only one trying to assassinate Megatron before… Oh no. Now all the fliers would have probably started to rebel. He had to warn Megatron immediately.  
«Listen—» Sandstorm immediately stopped talking and bowed the helm, sighing loudly and changing his cold and serious expression in a defeated one.  
  
"Too late..." Too late? For what?  
«Oh, did I interrupt something?» Just the voice of the rainmakers' leader was enough to make the telepath shudder, even if he managed to hide it with taking a step forward and turning the helm to look at the bright green approaching mech.  
“I tried.”  
That single thought that came from the closer flier was more frightening than the whole situation. He tried to… to do what?  
«I hope not!» Acid Storm quickly added «Because I want to talk to you about something, Soundwave.» he grinned darkly, his two trine mates pushing the tan seeker away from the door.  
  
«But I want to know what we did actual interrupt» Ion Storm hissed at the other and the Tape-Deck heard Nova Storm growling at the lone jet “If you tried to betray us, I swear I’ll make sure everyone will forget you once and for all”. He fluttered the long wings and hit the floor quickly with a thruster. Betray...? What did  they have in mind?  
  
«I wanted to avoid useless fights.» The green seeker tilted the helm and brought his attention on him «What do you mean with that?» he asked.  
  
The two rainmakers moved away and returned next to their leader to let the other answer «You’re known to turn violent. Shockwave warned us about your short temper.»  
  
The bright blue jet shrugged nervously but relaxed the wings right after that «That Shockwave… he always talks for nothing. And he says he’s the logic one!».  
  
His leader nodded «Yes, don’t worry Sandstorm-» then turned back to stare at Soundwave’s red visor «Now… Let’s get to the point. Your two red and blue pests made a mess in our quarters».  
What? That was not what Sandstorm told him about the little twins...  
The blue seeker nodded «Now, those two will do better going there and fix everything. We are not gonna fix what they broke.»  
Sandstorm actually tried to make them go away before this happened?  
  
“Hey! We didn’t break anything! Right, Frenzy? This time we didn't even get in the Seekers' quarters!”  
“They’re saying a bunch of scrap, Soundwave! Let us out so we can beat them up so much they'll become pretty!”  
He could hear Rumble and Frenzy trying to get out but made sure to keep his chest plating completely shut. This was not going to end well. Not at all. «Soundwave: will fix whatever they caused later»  
He then felt a strong yellow servo grabbing tightly on his shoulder «Later? No, no. You come now if you don’t want to send those two. Later you’ll have to work and pretend you forgot».  
  
His spark started to spin even faster. He wasn’t ready to fight a trine now, not this one in particular and especially not here. So Sandstorm has really been trying to… help him? He wanted to send the cassettes away so that they wouldn’t have been in trouble now. Oh he should have listened… now he had to find a way to get out of this damn situation without fighting, or they would have started to get even more aggressive. And then, they would have found a way to get the cassettes anyway.  
  
Plus, if he would have started an actual fight he was alone against four fliers. Well, maybe Sandstorm didn’t want to fight, but if the three started to attack and he refused to, he would have only got into trouble. A low rank soldier wasn’t as protected as officers like him. It was only logical that he would have followed his fellow seekers for his own health... or even life.  
  
Suddenly the Tape-deck could feel a weird air movement coming from behind his back, then heard a very familiar sound, followed by new thoughts. Skywarp just teleported himself directly inside of his quarters. So they managed to convince the purple jet he was trying to kill his trine leader? No wonder he now wanted to help them getting rid of him, they probably described him as a mech sent to kill Starscream and get his place of Second in Command.  
Five seekers… how could he manage to fight them, without fighting?  
  
«Move! We don’t have all day and you obviously don’t have all day neither!» Nova Storm started to pull against his arm and his bright blue mate started to do the same now. The telepath took a step back, trying not to make his voice glitch «S-Soundwave: busy.» and he cursed silently as he stuttered, letting all the anxiety that was literally devouring him show in that stupid sentence.  
  
“What the damn is even happening here?”  
Skywarp's thoughts.  
They made him understand that he didn’t come to help them, in fact he was surprised to see this situation. So he still knew nothing of what the three wanted to do.  
He then heard the jet sighing and slowly walking over to him, revealing himself to pretty much everyone, and the two fliers immediately let go of Soundwave's arms. They looked at each other and then back at Skywarp. Their trine leader shook the helm quickly «Busy… with Skywarp?» he asked, taking a few steps back. The spymaster remained quiet for a few nanokliks, but when he heard what those mechs outside started to imagine him doing with the other—  
  
«Soundwave: Busy talking with Skywarp»  
“Suuure. Talking.” Nova Storm crossed his arms and shook the helm “I think this might be a problem to us…”  
The dark flier stretched the wings and looked around «Hello Acid, Nova, Ion.. and Stormy- anyways, are you done talking? I need Sounder here, so if you’re all done we can turn back to do what I came here for.» He didn’t care if it was a lie that he was talking to him first or if they hadn't said one thing to him yet. But he needed Soundwave now surely more than those four! He had no time to lose in stupid stuff.

Too bad that the way he said that, only made the others actually believe the two were doing much more than talking! And the telepath laid a servo on his helm, shaking it lightly. This damn situation…  
Acid Storm shrugged and moved away from the door, motioning to his mates to follow him, the light brown seeker already walking away calmly. «Alright Communication Officer. We’ll let you… communicate with Skywarp and share whatever information you two care about». This time even Skywarp understood the others thought they needed to do something different from just talking. The green seeker practically described a plug and play interface!  
The spymaster shook nervously «Talking.» he repeated loudly before shutting his door.

  
Before the small flier could even start to voice his confused thoughts, the Tape-deck took a deep intake as he leaned against the wall and simply let himself slide down, legs unable to hold his weight anymore.  
  
Luck was the last thing he expected to receive today. Those three jets were very impulsive, patience didn’t belong to any of them. The previous night they saw him standing out of the med bay and already started to see him as an assassin… alright, they had all the right to be suspicious, but he didn’t expect them to start acting so hostile and already trying to hurt his cassettes. They were innocent. He didn’t want them to get hurt.  
  
«Ohi DJ!» the two purple servos that were shaking him managed to make him focus on the white face plates he found in front of himself «Did you collapse or something because of that interface thing he said? Jeez you’re such a prude».  
But when for another cycle Soundwave did nothing but staring up at him, the seeker tilted his helm and tried to pull him up on his pedes «Listen… okay, you’re the silent one but you’re starting to scare me and I don’t need more stuff to be worried about and—»  
  
He didn’t expect to be hugged, but remained immobile anyway. The blue mech stood up in a nanoklik and wrapped his arms tight around the other’s back, being careful not to hit the soft plating of his black wings and laid the helm against his shoulder. He didn’t deserve any affection honestly. Skywarp was the one who almost lost his trine leader and had both him and his mate closed in the med bay needing to be repaired. While he was fine and didn’t blame the other seekers for hating him so much.  
«Soundwave: apologizes» he started to shake, trying to control his emotions and already expecting to be pushed away. But that didn’t happen.  
  
«Alright, let’s talk in third person even if you should stop it now. Why is Soundwave apologizing?» the other asked instead, slowly running the long digits across the plating of his trembling frame to stop on the back, returning the sudden and very unexpected hug.  
«So-soundwave: … n-n-never helped Starscream» his voice was starting to glitch even more and his arms hugged the seeker a bit tighter «Soundwave: loyal to Megatron». Skywarp started to stroke his back slowly, wings laying low «Soundwave: should have helped Starscream anyway».  
The seeker pulled away but remained close, moved his servo slowly up the white mask, tapping it a few times with a digit, then talked «Soundwave needs to stop talking like that. Skywarp wants him to take this off».  
  
The spymaster looked up at him quickly, visor flashing at that request. His mask had to stay on and cover his face… taking it off meant… well, it was something very personal. Not even Megatron asked him to remove it, he did it alone. But the jet didn’t have bad intentions, he could be sure about it.  
  
«Come on! Soundwave will never vent properly if he keeps talking like a machine» Skywarp insisted.  
  
He was confused, and he still was nervous about his missing trine, but wanted to know what was wrong with him as well. The Tape-deck moved away too, looking down at the floor, conscious of the fact he already showed the other how he was feeling, mask and visor couldn't have helped him to hide that anymore. Besides, the flier needed to trust him. Doing this was the same as having a seeker allowing a grounder to touch their wings.  
  
The cold air of his quarters brushed across his white face plates once both visor and battle mask were retracted, the strong light of his glowing crimson optics reflecting against the other’s frame. Skywarp tilted the helm lightly and leaned a servo firmly on his shoulder after noticing the coolant running down the telepath’s cheeks, he didn’t realize he’d been crying this whole time. The telepath then heard the other starting to feel guilty for making him remove the visor.  
  
What actually shocked the flier more, was the fact that Soundwave looked like a normal mech, like everyone else, he didn’t know what he was expecting but not something that made him look identical to many others. He was no drone. He was simply so alone that he never showed any emotion that would have made everyone see him weak. Sure he had the cassettes, but he didn’t have a bond like the trines of seekers, or like the Constructicons. He was alone and couldn’t afford to simply look even just… tired.

«You uh…» Skywarp tried to think of something, remembering the Decepticon in front of him was a telepath and what he thought about him now could be intended as insult, especially by seekers who didn’t have trines yet, but was interrupted when he was hugged again.  
«I’m sorry.» he heard the other whispering with a completely new voice. It was tired indeed, as if saying just one word hurt him physically. And not to mention he never heard him whisper before, never.  
«Soundwave… it’s not your duty protecting Starscream» he finally said «It is mine. I’m his trine mate.» he then pressed a wing against the blue digits stroking his back, trying to get the blue mech to understand he wanted him to stroke them. He didn’t thinking about what it meant, it was something that worked alone, an instinct gesture to show someone he could trust them… and he had to show this to the Tape-deck. Especially after he practically did the same thing, even if in a different way.  
  
«Megatron only listens to me… I should have stopped him long ago. Now, I have to pay for this inaction.» the other said slowly, rubbing his helm against the jet’s shoulder, listening to him think, simply confused by the last part of the answer. Pay?  
  
«Acid Storm doesn’t trust me. He thinks I want to become Second in Command» he took a deep intake before adding «… after killing Starscream».  
The dark flier’s frame tensed and his wings shuddered. Simply mentioning this made him feel terrible and wish to teleport in the med bay to make sure his leader was safe «W-what are you talking about? You…» He was starting to cry as well now.  
  
Soundwave immediately returned to stroke his black appendages «I don’t want to be Second in Command. I never wanted to. I can’t.» It was true. He couldn’t do it. He was the communication officer, a strategist, a spy. He couldn’t lead troops like Starscream did. He knew about aerial strategies, but never tested anything by himself and had no experience at all. Between practice and theory there was a whole universe. He couldn’t lead the seekers anywhere honestly.  
And he didn’t even want to! He didn’t want to rule the Decepticons if Megatron couldn’t. He was made to serve his lord. Not to be a lord. «But… I’m loyal to Megatron. Megatron has been hurting Starscream and obviously… Acid Storm doesn’t trust me.»  
Now Skywarp was beginning to understand a bit more. Acid Storm was known to be violent and cruel and he could only guess what he wanted to do to Soundwave. He didn’t even think the seeker could be right about doubting of him, especially now he knew he could trust the spymaster.  
  
After such a reaction, after showing how literally desperate he was feeling, how could he doubt of him? Maybe the other’s trine could be suspicious but not him, not after he saw the one everyone called a drone crying.  
«I trust you, just… just stay around me and nothing will go wrong! I’m Screamer’s mate, they won’t put up a fight if he’s the one they are trying to protect»  
  
  
Skywarp wasn’t as stupid as many described him or how he maybe wanted others to see him. Sure he was very energetic and tended to get quite childish, especially around his cassettes. But he simply was a carefree mech who tried to stay happy and have fun even during this war, as if to kick away the negativeness in such a dark moment. But he wasn’t stupid at all.  
«Are you helping me because you need my help?» the spymaster asked after at least two cycles of silence, where they only stayed there hugging each other.  
  
The flier fluttered the wings and shrugged «Not just because of that. Uh… I’ve… maybe I thought…» yeah, thought. It was better thinking about it instead of saying it, since he had no idea where to start.  
  
In fact Soundwave understood perfectly. He didn’t want him to be blamed for something that wasn’t entirely his fault and it was more Megatron’s actions that pushed Starscream to do what he almost managed yesterday. They were all guilty, but, Soundwave showed to really care and to be really regretting his decision to never try to stop the warlord. He also felt bad for him. He seemed so… alone. These actions just showed Skywarp he really didn’t like to be a loner, he needed comfort, but no one got along very well with the telepath.  
  
Then Soundwave’s visor and battle-mask returned back to place and he moved towards the console he had in his room, used mostly to continue the job in there if his cassettes needed to sleep on his berth. It didn’t happen often but they could really make a mess when they got so tired and at those times it was the hardest to get them to stay closed inside his chest.  
«Skywarp: tried to teleport into med bay?» his usual monotone voice returned and the seeker looked at him getting to work to switch on the screens.  
  
«Yes, but Hook literally threw me out! Saying I didn’t need to stay around. I guess he doesn’t want me to worry, but I want to see my mates! It’s been already—»  
«18 joors and 15 cycles.»  
  
…that didn’t make it seem much at all. He knew 24 joors meant a solar cycle on this planet. «Still, I need to see them. From what I managed to see, Thundercracker’s already awake» he smiled softly and wrapped his arms around himself. He wished he’d just open the bond again, but apparently, he was still feeling a little bad and kept it closed not to share the pain with him, like Starscream did for so long.  
  
When the screen finally showed him the inside of the med bay, the dark seeker raised the wings and purred happily. They were both awake! He saw three Constructicons in there, his mates’ amber optics glowing weakly and scanning their surroundings. The medic was working on his trine leader’s arm at the moment while the other two bright green mechs remained close to TC who was currently sitting up and staring mostly at the crane working.  
  
  
«Here Commander,» Hook finally moved away from the red jet and untied him, slowly helping him to sit up «the prosthetic is connected and everything works perfectly, try to move it a little».  
  
Starscream stared at his new gray limb and closed his servo into a fist, then opened every digit one by one slowly and then quickly closed them all again. This wasn’t his blue servo, but it worked pretty well and didn’t hurt. He then returned to look at the doctor, still silent, not knowing exactly what to say. He didn’t want to talk, he was afraid of hearing his own voice, as if he was scared to get hurt if he said something.  
«Starscream, do you… feel better?» Thundercracker asked him and tried to jump off the berth, but Scavenger stopped him, quickly putting down on a desk the energon cube he was holding.  
  
«No no, wait. You may fall down, with that new leg-».  
  
Mixmaster shook the helm and grinned, pushing his mate away and grabbing the blue flier’s servo «Nah, he gotta test-test-test it sooner or later» he then helped him to get off, chuckling lightly.  
Hook sighed and looked at the two «Do you have to hold on his digits like that as if he was a lady from Earth?» he asked as he started to clean the desk.  
  
Scavenger’s tail wiggled and his engines purred. Here we go, they were going to do something dumb… they always liked to play around. The excavator nodded and moved close to the jet and his mate «But Hook, Thundercracker’s the princess of Vos!»  
The red flier suddenly looked at the three, tilting the head slightly, now getting completely distracted from whatever he was thinking about.  
  
The blue seeker raised an optic ridge and seemed to be about to say something, but the chemist was faster «Yes, beautiful like a bright thunder in the skies of Cyber-Cyber-Cybertron, even if thunders can be heard and not seen! Not seen!» he shrugged quickly before continuing «And he was going to marry the Prince Starscream!».  
The medic leaned a servo against his face plates. He knew he shouldn’t have given too many ideas to those two. He moved his servo away from the visor only to see the scientist taking Thundercracker over to a desk and handing him a long scalpel.  
  
«But something happened before their marriage-» he continued with the tale and grinned at Scavenger «The prince got kidnapped and held prisoner by a dragon-». The taller Constructicon nodded excitedly and ran behind the red seeker’s berth.  
  
The Air commander looked at him and shook the helm in confusion. Dragons… they were obviously referring to that thing fron bizarre adventure he had with Ramjet and the cassettes weren’t they? Scrapper’s gestalt found his experience extremely interesting and now they were probably experts about the old human mythology or history or whatever that was.  
  
But he couldn’t stop himself from smiling when the excavator transformed, his long shovel moving around and pushing lightly on his shoulder as he continued with the tale «Me! The Dragon… Dredge Dragon! Dradgegon!»  
Thundercracker looked back at Mixmaster. They were… indeed playing, but it was obvious they were doing all this to make them feel better. It was working honestly. What he expected was to be left alone close to his trine mate, both feeling guilty for their reasons.  
  
One for not talking to his trine about his problems and the other feeling guilty for not being able to read his emotions better and not even managing to save him when he needed to. Thundercracker expected to suffer even more when he woke up again, but… he was smiling. And so was his trine leader! Despite how much he tried to keep a serious expression. The truth was that the two Constructions caught them off guard and they were both having fun at the moment despite everything.  
The red jet felt himself getting pushed lightly once again and turned around to stare at the shovel «Commander, come on try to seem a little scared at least- Your name’s Starscream, isn’t it? Come ooon» he whispered.  
The other rolled the optics and sighed «Aah?» he practically said, not even raising his voice that much and that was enough to make the blue seeker chuckle. What an actor! That was why his every plan to defeat Megatron always ended bad, he didn’t even try to act… even if he sometimes seemed pretty good at telling lies.  
  
Mixmaster shook the helm «We’ll work on that…» then grabbed the dark servo of the blue jet and helped him to walk closer to his trine leader then reset the vocalizer «So the princess decided to go and fight the Dredge-Dredge-Dradgegon to save his love!»  
Hook shook the helm and buried his face plates in both his servos. Oh All Spark help him. He then peeked through the digits and observed the rest of the play in embarrassment. «Nh… Primus give me strength.» at least no one else was there watching.  
  
«Rraargh!» Scavenger’s tail moved up.  
«The dragon wouldn’t have handed the prince to Thundercracker, and he was locked in a tower where seekers couldn’t fly! … Because they built the ceiling too close to the ground and this was a problem!» The alchemist let go the jet’s servo and ran over to the medic, grabbing his hook and pulling it back over to the others «Let me borrow this for just a moment, for a moment-» he murmured and then kept on talking  
  
«So the brave princess captured the dragon-» he simply curled the chain around the long shovel and then chuckled before helping the flier to step on the excavator «so he could ride the dragon to go find his prince!». He then untied the shovel so that their Constructicon mate quickly wrapped his hook back in place where it belonged. Scavenger purred «but the Dradgegon managed to get free and attacked the princess! So they fought!» and he didn’t do much more than pushing lightly on Thundercracker’s side, pretending to bite. Then transformed back and took the scalpel from the jet’s servo and held it against his side with the arm, as if it looked like he got stabbed with it.  
  
«Aagh! And then the Draaaaadgegon fell! » he coughed and let himself fall on the ground, sitting up quickly to reach for the almost empty cube of energon he has put down before to pour what remained of it on his chassis, then looked up at the medic, who was staring at him with an expression that only meant “You’re cleaning that up.”  
Both seekers were smiling happily and the alchemist made the blue flier reach Starscream’s berth «And the Prince and Princess finally were ruinited and lived happily ever after. End-End-End!» He then bowed, quickly looking back at Hook as he clapped awkwardly.  
  
«You’re a terrible audience, doctor-» Scavenger pouted, slowly sitting up and putting the scalpel away. Though, he could tell everyone had fun, sure it was probably... embarrassing, yes? Unexpected too, but at least now the two fliers were purring softly, rubbing each other’s wings affectionately. Starscream looked so… so happy.  
  
Though, that didn’t last long. In fact Megatron walked inside after half a joor and the air Commander’s wings dropped low, arms wrapping around his bent knees, keeping them close to his cockpit as if to protect his spark.  
  
The warlord looked at the shaking frame of his Second in Command, then crossed his arms once he saw Scavenger covered in energon and an empty cube on the floor. «What happened here?» he asked him  
  
Before Scavenger got the chance, the scientist answered, «Oh Thundercracker saved the prince of Vos from the dragon, my Lord! From the dragon, dragon!».  
  
The silver grounder remained silent for a few nanokliks then sighed «Whatever» and looked at the medic who quickly approached him. «Hook, how are they?» he asked, looking first at the blue flier who was currently standing on his pedes and then at Starscream, sitting on the berth, not so far from his mate.  
  
The sight was something that made Megatron feel terrible. Starscream was there, staring in his direction with those unnaturally orange optics as his wings trembling so much the whole surface where he was now actually started to rattle.  
  
The Constructicon medic paced over to the blue seeker, now leading him to his old berth and helping him to sit on it «About Thundercracker, the wings are still a bit fragile and I’d rather have him under observation for some more time, the leg is still healing but once it does, I’ll reattach his pede and remove the prosthetic.»  
Then they moved over to the red seeker. He looked much smaller than he already was compared to the warlord now he was curled up like that. «About him, I’ll take a few solar cycles to build a new servo. Except for that, he’s functional and… repaired.» the crane explained, taking a step back and looking at the ex-gladiator staring down at his Second. He wasn’t going to hurt him even this time, was he?  
Megatron tilted his helm lightly to observe the smaller frame. This still didn’t look like the Starscream he knew. He seemed to have recovered at least a little from last night, at least in the sense he wasn’t panicking that much.  
  
But he was scared.  
  
Megatron slowly raised his left arm, moving a servo closer to the other’s dark face plates. The jet quickly withdrew and offlined his optics «I-I…» he then stopped immediately, as if he was too afraid of what the answer would have been to whatever he intended to say.  
  
The grounder simply laid a digit under his chin and tilted his helm backwards so he could observe his cheeks, scratched and dented. «Repaired, doctor?» he said, observing the rest of his plating, covered by the same injuries, paint missing almost completely under his terribly abused wings. His digits traveled there and traced the edges, reaching the last wound he left on those soft appendages. «I’m sure you could do a much better job…»  
The crane stared at him in confusion and so did Starscream, who was surprised his master didn’t seem interested into causing more harm… quite the opposite instead. «If he’s the prince of Vos» Megatron sighed «he should be in a way better condition. Get to work, Hook.» he then returned to observe the seeker, who was now staring up at him with a much more confused expression.  
  
The medic remained quiet for a few more nanokliks before a smile appeared on his face plates. He wanted him to fix him completely?! Like he always wished to do? «Yes, my Lord. I’ll start to repair him immediately» he answered with his deep and calm voice, but unable to hide how excited he was feeling.  
  
Megatron caressed his Second’s cheek once again with a digit, then released him and walked out.  
  
  
«That went better than what I expected» Frenzy whispered, hitting his twin’s arm as he watched the Decepticon Leader leaving the med bay. Skywarp was feeling much better and held his wings up, fluttering them every now and then. Ravage was resting on his knees and rubbing the helm against the cockpit every now and then, demanding to receive another pet. Soundwave stood up and looked at the three cassettes staring at the screen with the jet.  
  
Then Rumble nodded «Yeah, though I hope the Constructicons are gonna act out some other play!». The two started giggling and the seeker pushed them lightly «Shush you midgets! I can’t hear a thing»  
  
The blue cassette jumped on his arm, kicking on it «You shush! Can’t you hear no one’s even talking?»  
The flier grinned and his optics flashed, then opened his arms wide, shrugging a bit to energetically and dropping Rumble on the floor «well soooorry».  
  
The telepath looked at the twins climbing up on Skywrap’s frame but did nothing else to annoy him. Maybe, they were all better here with him as he went to work. If he was alone, they didn’t risk to get hurt…  
«So, Sounder… thank you for letting me stay here» the seeker looked at him approaching the door and smiling when he heard him answering  
«Skywarp: doesn’t need to thank Soundwave for this.»  
  
«Yes yes DJ. But know that if Soundwave’s in trouble, Skywarp wants to be commed. » he giggled and returned to look at the screen with the cassettes. «Skywarp’s going to teleport there to save Soundwave’s aft.» He added and the blue cassette poked his face plates as he slid down his helm to sit on the large shoulder.  
  
«You’d better save his aft, you turkey».  
  
The seeker stared at him and huffed «Yes, Frenzy» and this made the little Decepticon cross his arms  
«It’s Rumble! don’t you even start!»  
  
The spymaster looked at them for another cycle, then left. They were going to be fine, yes. Despite everything, those three could get along… and there was always Ravage who could put the two twins back to their place if they started to get overexcited. Now he only had to focus on his own well being. He could tell something would have happened to him, especially after what Acid Storm's trine tried to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! I used Sandstorm. I could have used any other jet. But no. I pick one that doesn't just have almost no information, but one with the word "Storm" in the name. I make my existence even more difficult, but it's also true that the seekrs are too ttached to this damn word. Sandstorm, Acid Storm, Ion Storm, Nova storm, Sunstorm. Not even botheirng to find synonyms! Tempest? Tornado? No, Storm. fine, do what you want you all-
> 
> Now, I'm sure everyone knows but in case you don't know what's Starscream bizarre adventure with dragons it's in the episode: A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court. Nice name, I know. It's one of those names you don't forget easily.


	6. Research

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta Killuascreamer
> 
>  
> 
> Units of time:
> 
>  
> 
> 1 Nanoklik - 1 second
> 
> 1 Cycle - 1 minute and 30 seconds
> 
> 1 Joor - 1 hour
> 
> 1 Solar Cycle - 1 day
> 
> 1 Deca Cycle - 10 days
> 
> 1 Stellar Cyle - 1 year
> 
> 1 Vorn - 80 years

It really had been a long time since the Constructicons had seen Hook so happy and for once back to work on a damaged frame with such enthusiasm. He said it himself. He for so long hadn't been proud of his work, but finally Megatron allowed him to repair Starscream completely!  
  
That mech had one of the most beautiful frames the medic had ever seen and had the possibility to study. The delicate metal under the armor had an unusual black shade and despite his weak conditions, everything still seemed to be perfect and in complete order. He saw the glowing purple energy running through his wires, the energon lines curling together and then separating, reaching those parts of soft metal shaped like the elegant architecture of the Air Commander's city. Underneath the thin plating, the small and fragile gears were now spinning slowly, very difficult to see as their constant movements reflecting the light of his very spark made them seem almost invisible and part of that cold light.  
Seekers were a special race, a dying race. Every other Cybertronian had a different frame, but all grounders had very similar engines... those fliers instead were different. And Starscream was different from those of his kind as well. The elegance of the black plating and those signs the energon lines drew could only belong to the mech once known as Winglord.  
  
A rarity even for that beautiful race.  
  
A being who shouldn't have been treated the way Megatron did for so long. Maybe not being a medic didn't allow him understand, but how could it be possible he never managed to see how wrong it was ruining a perfect and delicate creature like Starscream?  
  
Well, until now apparently.  
  
Said seeker was now laying back down on the medical berth, and kept staring at the entrance the whole time after his leader left the room, confused by what happened and still not understanding why the warlord did nothing at all to hurt him. He didn’t seem angry, he didn't even mention the battle they obviously lost because of…  
He took a deep intake and reluctantly turned the helm to look at his trine mate. There he was, on his berth, Mixmaster helping him to test the leg’s movements, trying not to make him hold it too rigid despite how some positions obviously caused him a little bit of pain. He saw how bending the knee to push the pede close to the hip always made Thundercracker huff and shutter the optics. And of course, the blue jet didn't just pay attention to the alchemist, he often turned the helm to look in his direction, as if he was somehow scared to turn around and not find him there anymore.  
  
Starscream tried to keep his wings still as the Constructicon Second worked on them, despite how much he just wanted to lower them and tilting them forward, apologizing to the other for what he did.  
He just didn’t think in that moment while pulling the trigger. He didn’t think about his trine. He didn’t think about anything at all! He just thought about a simple ray through his helm that would have easily switched off all his suffering. All the physical abuse and painful thoughts gone. He thought about silence and absence of any pain. Everything he desired in that moment and the answer was there in his servos… just like the cause of all his problems but that for once could just be the very solution that got rid of them all. All he needed was a simple and swift movement of the digit. As if to switch off a noisy and broken console. Simple and quick.  
But he should have known the easiest way to get something was the one with worse consequences.  
  
Thundercracker almost destroyed himself too just to go stop him, shattering his beautiful blue wings and while Skywarp was physically fine, his bond wasn’t closed and the red seeker felt how scared and alone he was feeling. And he was awake, he was alive! What would have happened if he was… gone? How broken his mates would have been? He always kept the bond closed to keep the pain for himself… and now he suddenly decided to break them with his death? He was selfish. That’s what he was. He always has been.  
  
Now he just wanted to open the bond… make them both understand he was alright, he wanted to stay close to them. But he couldn’t do it yet, he wasn’t ready and all that guilt… he didn’t want them to feel it too. It only belonged to him. Maybe he should have just waited a little more. Just until Hook finally finished to repair him. Yes, it wouldn’t have taken much. Just a couple of solar cycles. And then the first thing he wanted to do was laying in their berth and have his seekers resting next to him, stroke their beautiful wings and feel the warmth of their sparks under his digits, caress their perfect frames and open his bond again.  
  
  
The door hissed open and the Construction leader stepped inside, looked at Mixmaster and Scavenger and quickly ordered them to leave the blue jet alone so he could rest and get out in the corridor with the rest of the gestalt. Apparently they still intended to explore that cave they found a couple of days ago. They all didn't like to get interrupted while working, if they already planned something, they just had to respect the schedule.  
  
«Scrapper, thank you for talking with Megatron» Hook smiled at his leader and laid a servo on the newly repaired glass of Starscream’s cockpit, it was still a bit dirt but he would have cleaned it up later. It was pretty much useless keeping a part clean when there was still so much work to be done on the rest of the frame. And then, blowing away all the dust and washing the dirt spots was one of the best parts. He could get a better view of all his job… then observing the freshly painted frame was the best part of it all. Finally seeing the result of his work. Oh he couldn’t wait to get there.  
The other observed the red flier and tilted the helm slightly after the two walked out «Actually… I wanted to apologize for not being able to talk to him yet-» he said, approaching his Second in Command and looking at him as he worked on a shoulder now «He wasn’t in the mood for talking yesterday night so I intended to go now… before leaving».  
  
The medic was just as surprised at this point «What? You didn’t talk to him?» he asked, moving away from the jet and placing the scalpel down on the table next to the berth «So you mean he… took this decision of letting me repair him properly alone?». Scrapper crossed the arms, smiling under the mask  
  
«Yes apparently» it seemed like something did change. He then looked down at the seeker: he seemed so weak and tired. And their leader was beginning to care now? It could have been too late this time, but maybe this flier was stronger than he believed. And way more stubborn than what he already showed everyone.  
«I’ll leave you to your work, Hook. We’ll be back in a solar cycle, this won’t bother you, will it?» he asked, not liking himself the idea of leaving him completely alone for so long, but the medic shrugged  
  
«I’ll be very busy. I’ll work all the time and I won’t even be done when you’ll all come back. Just… Just be careful out there» and after saying that, the crane moved closer to him, a servo stroking lightly on the neck cables. His mate remained still for a couple of nanokliks, allowing them medic to touch his throat freely, then bowed the helm and his mask rubbed gently against his cheek.  
  
The red jet looked at them and sighed softly, optics quickly returning to Thundercracker and found him busy trying to swallow a cube full of medical energon and getting ready to recharge as Mixmaster told him before sprinting out of the med bay. He then observed once again the two green and purple mechs purring and caressing each other's neck, their crimson visors glowing softly. He knew this kind of affection was present in his trine. But his leader... he never…  
When Scrapper finally left, he watched him walking out, then kept his gaze on the door and shivered.  
  
  
It was only half a joor later that the medic finally heard a weird and low sound under the louder one coming from the console next to him, so he looked up at the other's face plates and gasped in surprise, dropping immediatly the silver pliers. He saw the Air Commander crying for the first time after stellar cycles. He never cried again after the first times he ended in the med bay when Megatron started to punish him so long ago back on Cybertron. He stopped all of the sudden after the fourth time while he was being repaired and after that Hook never saw him doing it again, not even tearing.  
  
«Commander…» he called him with his usual calm voice, hopefully this was enough to get his attention. But the other simply ignored him, not daring to move the helm, like he was trying to hide the face plates all wet of coolant. So the Constructicon took a clean cloth from the small table and gently wiped away the tears from the jet's dark cheeks, that seemed to finally get the flier’s attention. He had an idea why he started to weep all of the sudden, but it could also have been a mistake he made without noticing.  
  
«Did I hurt—» but he was quickly interrupted, just as he expected  
  
«W-why does he hate me so much and can’t I-I  have a leader like yours I-I-I—» then his voice cracked and he shut the mouth immediately, whimpering and trying to suppress a sob. His mate was asleep and didn’t want him to wake up and see how sad he was. How was he going to react after seeing him crying like that? He would have started to get worried for nothing.  
«Commander, Megatron doesn’t hate you.» the medic grabbed him from his wrists, not as tight on the right one, and pulled him so he could sit up again on the berth.  
  
«He… He does! » Starscream tried to whisper, covering his mouth to try to control the volume of his voice «He always hurt me… a-and saying I once respected him» he sobbed quietly, shuttering his amber optics.  
  
Hook looked quickly at Thundercracker, glad to see he was still asleep. The med bay was warmer and that medical energon only helped him rest for a longer time, since in recharge every wound healed faster. But now he was there alone, he had no idea if he could manage to handle two emotionally unstable seekers.  
«I want him to be like Scrapper! He never hurt you and never will! Why is it so easy for you being Second in Command?!» he growled lowly, but when Hook laid his servos on the trembling wings, the flier immediately went silent again.  
  
«Starscream, Sir… as much as it pains him doing that, my leader does punish me too sometimes» he explained calmly «But never around others, so you never saw it happening. While Megatron isn’t bonded with you and doesn’t feel your pain.» he then took a deep intake «But, he doesn’t hate you».  
«It’s easy for you to say!» the jet hissed «But let’s talk about everything he has done to me!» he looked down at the parts of his frame the Constructicon didn’t repair yet. How could he say he didn’t hate him?  
  
The medic looked up at the cameras, aware of being watched by somebody, then whispered «Lord Megatron simply… » oh he wouldn’t have been happy if he came to know what he was about to say just now «He simply… feared you».  
  
«Feared me.» The jet repeated after at least a cycle, coolant finally stopping to run down his dark cheeks «Feared me huh? Tell me doctor… how is it even possible he feared me?» he did seem skeptical look as if this was a lie. But why would Hook say such a stupid thing, knowing this could enrage their leader? He could have said something less dangerous for himself.  
«I am not completely sure… but I think it’s because of who you were.. when he was just the leader of a revolution.» and this managed to to make the flier’s wings droop low in a nanoklik, so he continued «You already were the Winglord of Vos, Commander». The jet remained silent for a while, trying to focus on what he just heard. And he had to admit this somehow made sense.  
  
But…  
«It’s not my fault if I was already… important.» he sighed, looking down and quickly shaking his pale ailerons «I…» maybe he felt... threatened indeed. But he never did something to disrespect him before. Why wouldn’t he simply… Or maybe he did. Maybe. Seekers were known to be very proud and enjoyed showing everyone how important and skilled they are. Starscream sighed loudly, he knew he probably did something that made Megatron get suspicious. Maybe something meaningless for one of his own kind, but for a grounder…

«I-I» He was now starting to tear up again and hated this. He didn’t want to cry in front of this Constructicon. It was embarrassing! But the medic quickly wiped away those drops of coolant again, doing nothing else to make him feel worse, doing nothing to make fun out of him, he didn't even smile. He was being serious and professional as always, but not cold. He seemed to be... caring?  
  
«Why… aren’t you treating me like a piece of scrap like others do?» he hissed all of the sudden, grabbing tight onto the crane’s wrist and squeezing enough to make the other wince «Why do you care?! You’re a medic, yes… don’t even tell me that! I know you’re not a medic who follows the ideals of a doctor or you wouldn’t fight in the battlefield!». Then suddenly jumped on the floor and threw the green mech on the berth were he was sitting a nanoklik before, keeping him down easily.  
  
Too easily…  
  
He didn’t have the energy to do this and he still had to get used to his prosthetic. He growled, staring at the other’s red visor «You hate me don’t you? Like everyone else. Why are you pretending to care?!» he hissed, instinctively bringing his free servo under the medic’s chin, but he had no gun attached to the arm he could use to threaten him properly. Despite that, his sharp digits could cause some damage and the other knew it. But he still didn’t move, he let himself get pinned on the berth and didn’t even move when the seeker’s grip got tighter around his throat cables.  
  
Hook only coughed a little, but did nothing more than that, which seemed to make the flier go crazy «Fight me! I know you can do it!» he barked. When after a cycle the surgeon was still immobile, Starscream hit him on the chassis with his other servo, pointy digits digging in the seams of his purple frame «I could cause you some serious damage, doctor...!» nothing. Still no reaction.  
  
«Why are you afraid to hit me?!» he spat, scratching at the purple paint «You never hit me and… never laughed at me». Now the servo around the mech’s throat cables started to loosen the grip and it began to shake as if he was fighting to force it to hold tighter but unable to. «Are you afraid of ruining your job?!» he asked, voice cracking again now «Because you can’t possibly care about me!» and then found himself laying over the crane, crying once again and hiding his face plates against the other’s neck «Y-you can’t… W-why would you...c-care about a disappointment like me?».  
  
He then could feel two servos laying on his big appendages and stroking gently, then after a cycle, they pulled him up as their owner put himself in a sitting position and kept the seeker's frame closer to his own. Hook looked down at the weeping seeker and cleaned his face plates one last time, then spoke «Because caring about you is the decision I made. Not the order I am to follow.» he said calmly, now finally able to lay the jet back down on the berth.  
  
«M-medic…» he heard the other whisper before being pulled closer again in a hug.  
  
Hook should have started to show he cared long ago. He should have started to take better care of him from the beginning, not just now.  
Starscream was currently scared and confused, that reaction was nothing to worry about. He expected more in the future and if that didn’t happen… it meant he was forcing his emotions to stay inside as he always did. He needed to vent slowly, letting out his anger, confusion and fear every once in a while… and not all of the sudden like he did in the battlefield.  
  


Everyone seemed to have calmed down at least a bit compared to when they all returned to the base after the last retreat. Obviously no one was completely relaxed, there was still no one talking loudly and no one joking. Soundwave heard silence in the hallways of the base.  
  
This silence… this tension filling the empty corridors was completely unnatural. As if everyone was suddenly feeling responsible for what happened and expected to get punished. Were they? Yes, a lot of mechs were. Everyone who disrespected Starscream was responsible even in the smallest part. They treated him like a stupid sparkling and they all enjoyed being there to watch every time he got punished by their leader. Maybe it was envy that pushed them to feel this way… his position of Second in Command was something many desired and seeing the current one getting hurt and humiliated made them feel good. The telepath knew it. He heard their thoughts when that happened. Many probably didn’t even see it as a problem until now.  
  
The Air commander sure didn’t have many friends, but this reaction he had was something nobody expected. This failed suicide attempt made them realize how much even the most prideful and stubborn mech can become if constantly abused… maybe the cracks seemed invisible, but they should have expected him to break at one point.  
  
Now the worse thing wasn’t only a possible revolution, leading to lose all the seekers and have them against the Decepticon cause, but someone else could’ve seriously tried to assassinate the red flier to become Second in Command. Acid Storm doubted of him…  
  
While Soundwave was thinking about someone else. Maybe Motormaster… he was violent and being leader of the Stunticons made him desire power, it was in his nature… almost like Starscream. He never showed compassion or mercy. Despite how protective he acted when it was about protecting his mates, the truck was known to physically punish them too if they dared to disobey and get too rebellious against him. It always took him a while to obey superior officer's commands... and worst of all, he didn't seem to be feeling sorry at all for the wounded jets.  
  
  
He deiced to think about these problems later when he saw Laserbeak and Buzzsaw returning to him, the Tape-deck raised his arms to allow the two siblings to rest. Now that he thought about it, they were also in danger and knew he couldn’t have left them in the base alone for too long. So he quickly recorded their information and saved their files, then sent them immediately to another mission. They looked at each other, confused and quite angry.  
  
They wanted to stay with him! After such a long cycle of work, they just wanted to relax in his chassis and rest close to him, feel the heat of his spark. But it didn't take them long to recognize a terribly unusual nervous behavior, and only that made them calm down and listen to his orders first. He gave them a certain period of time they had to respect to complete their mission and then be sure to turn back together. If one arrived earlier, they should have waited around the base for the other to arrive too. Now they understood what the orders were, Laserbeak moved closer on the telepath’s arm and stopped when she finally reached the shoulder and gently nuzzled the white mask.  
“Master, are you worried about something?” she thought, aware of being heard and her master decided to answer through their bond, a private channel, well protected and literally impossible to hack without having the communication Officer noticing that.  
  
_-Rainmakers: suspect I’m an assassin who’s going to kill Starscream to take his position-_  
The cassette flapped her wings in agitation and looked around, Buzzsaw positioning himself on the Tape-Deck’s opposite shoulder to make him feel his presence  
_-But you’d never do that!_ \- he quickly tapped his master’s mask as well _-They’re wrong!-_  
_-Rainmakers: very impulsive. Cassettes: in constant danger-_  
Laserbeak lowered the helm and looked around, as if afraid some bright colored seeker would suddenly appear to hurt Soundwave.  
_-Who will protect you if you send us out?-_ she asked, mostly worried about his health than her own _-Where’s Ravage? Rumble? Frenzy?-_  
He shrugged, partially ignoring the first question, not sure how to answer _-Skywarp: trusts Soundwave and Cassettes, currently protecting them-_  
Buzzsaw was confused as much as the sister, Skywarp never got along well with the twins! How was this even possible? They saw him throwing them around and them stealing his cubes of energon so many times... and even Ravage! She remembered the usual black cassette painted in shocking pink running in Soundwave's quarters and holding one of the flier's purple guns in the mouth.  
_-Skywarp: not a threat, believes Soundwave-_  
The red cassette looked away for a while, not sure if she could be happy about this, but nodded slowly anyway _-Does he want to protect you along with them?-_  
_-Probability: high-_  
Buzzsaw flapped the wings too this time _-What do you mean? Does he want to protect you or not?-_  
  
To answer his question, the Tape-deck allowed them to hear the recorded memory of what Skywarp has told him before he could leave his quarters. He wanted to be called if someone hurt him… Or if he simply felt like things were beginning to get out of hand.  
_-So... Can he be trusted?_ \- Laserbeak asked, still quite suspicious about everything. It was true that the purple jet never got along very well with them… he never showed any care about her master mostly because their personalities were very different. One was always working hard and never losing time, serious and professional; while the other liked to joke, play around and often seen arguing with Rumble and Frenzy. - _He's a seeker after all-_ she added.  
_-Skywarp: knows about Acid Strom's suspicions. Skywarp: trusts Soundwave and Cassettes-_ The telepath repeated, making the two understand that having a seeker believing a grounder’s word instead of his brothers’ one was a unique and very rare thing and they all had to consider themselves lucky the mate of the Air Commander didn’t hate them or even worse considered them assassins.  
_-Alright master-_ Buzzsaw nodded and moved down his arm, ready to start to fly again, not intending to discuss about this again, for now _-I think you’re right. If he does believe in us despite everything, we should trust him as well-_  
His sister rubbed her beak against one of Soundwave's blue horns - _But how does he trusts us all of the sudden? We never really... interacted well with him and never bothered to show him we cared about him-_  
  
When the telepath brought a servo up to his mask and quickly shifted the digits down, they both sent a wave of surprise through the bond. He decided to stop hiding and reveal his face plates to him, to show he had nothing to hide and his words were free from any manipulation. Sure he was asked to do it, but he could have refused. He could have said he couldn't. The other couldn't know, also the jet asked to remove just the mask, not the visor. He decided to take them both off.  
__  
-You took a risk- Buzzsaw told him, never having imagined his master would have ever removed his mask and visor in front of Skywarp. He did it without being asked with Megatron, but with no one else.  
_-A necessary one-_ the sister quickly replied, having understood exactly why their master took that decision in such a delicate moment. It was the smartest thing to do and even her brother knew it.  
  
The Tape-Deck nodded and let them take off when they both seemed finally calm and stopped worrying too much about him, now focused and ready to start their new mission.  
  
Everything that happened to him after that was nothing new and nothing to worry about. He checked the conditions of the base, reported everything Scrapper told him as his gestalt worked in the cave, registered every date and information, repaired by himself the parts of the base that were starting to get ruined and cracked. The only Constructicon in the base was Hook and didn't need to get bothered now. But that was pretty much the usual routine, Soundwave was able to fix some damaged walls or a defective electric system and didn't need to send Scarpper's team to take care of it every time. He really didn't like to ask for help and give others commands, that's why he reported everything to Megatron and then he would have been the one giving orders to his subordinates.  
He often walked by the med bay, but nobody went to bother him this time, meaning no one was there actually guarding its entrance. At least that's how it seemed, those rainmakers should have understood their doctor was not a mech that could have been underestimated. He was protective of his patients and differently from some Autobot medics, he wouldn't have wasted a nanoklik before catching the intruder with his hook and holding them up by the neck, until all their energon was drained. He could be quite dangerous if challenged in his own med bay. There were way too many weapons he could use and turn any fool who dared attacking him into a spare parts donor.  
  
While the whole time he sat in the control room, connected to every camera and trying to catch some enemy conversation that didn't get properly protected, Acid Storm looked at him just a couple of times, but never went to talk to him. Him and his trine tried to stay as far as they could from the Communication Officer for the whole solar cycle.  
  
Which was quite weird. It could be possible Skywarp told them to stay away and not bother him… or maybe the Rainmaker preferred not to talk to him after he has seen the dark seeker in his quarters, believing they suddenly became way more attached to each other than what they could have imagined.  
  
It was probably the second option, since they still thought they have been interfacing apparently. Now he was sure the green flier and his mates would soon start to get mad at him for taking advantage of a lone seeker who almost lost the trine. He was sure about it. And none of this was real! They didn’t interface, just like he didn’t try to kill Starscream! But those three were very impulsive and protective, they all probably wouldn’t have cared about listening to excuses. Excuses that weren’t excuses at all… they were the simple truth.  
  
Then he suddenly heard a much more familiar voice ordering every other mech now present in the control room to leave, except for Soundwave who was requested instead to ignore and keep working. «Yes lord Megatron» the blue mech replied without moving his focus from the large glowing screen he was working on and listening to the footsteps of the other Decepticons leaving the area. He knew when his lord wanted to talk about private topics, this was one of those times, he didn't even need to read his mind for this.  
  
When the Communication Officer finally heard the door hissing closed, he turned around and met the silver mech's nervous gaze.

  
«I knew you could tell what I intended with that order I gave you.» the warlord said, looking now at the closed door and going to lock it. What they were about to discuss should have remained between them and didn’t really need somebody to get in and interrupt them.  
  
If it really was urgent, Soundwave would receive a message. The Tape-Deck bowed the helm and waited for his master to keep talking, but even without his ability he could tell that this discussion would have been about the Air Commander.  
  
«About what you’ve told me yesterday night, I’m not sure my Second in Command could be considered a broken cube» he started, now slowly returning close to the consoles and sitting down on a chair, a black servo supporting his helm and hiding the silver face plates «I’ve ruined him, Soundwave.»  
The deep blue mech remained quiet for a few nanokliks before talking again «Starscream: determined.» and earned a low chuckle from the grounder in front of him.  
  
«As if I wasn’t already aware of that» he murmured, then removed the dark digits form covering his optics and stared at the other’s scarlet visor «But now, dear Soundwave, what is he determined on doing?» his voice cold and quite low, hiding the remorse that was chewing on his very spark «Determined on killing me, or killing himself?» he asked.  
  
«Starscream: cares about the trine.» Soundwave quickly answered, but ignoring the question that he was asked. He heard the red flier’s thoughts as he walked by the med bay. He wanted his trine mates close to him more than anything. He wouldn’t have had that if he tried to suicide again. «Lord Megatron: can fix Starscream.»  
  
Megatron sighed loudly at these words, shaking his helm «I’m not that sure, my friend. I’ve only been hurting him for vorns now. I’m not able to repair. Just destroy.» It wasn’t true… maybe he forgot how he was long ago and what he stopped doing as war continued.  
  
Soundwave knew Megatron before everything started and had seen him taking care of those who were abandoned by their society, left alone and unable to defend themselves and gave them a possibility to live again. «Statement: incorrect» he then brought a servo up his mask and suddenly removed it, preferring to express himself with his true voice «Master…» he whispered, approaching the other «you fixed someone in the past». Megatron focused on his lips, he never grew used of seeing the telepath’s face plates, even just those ivory denta were such an unusual sight. The Communication Officer sighed «Shockwave, my lord.» he finally said.  
  
«Shockwave has never been completely repaired» the warlord shrugged «He feels no emotion. I’ve never gave him back what he lost.» he explained.  
  
He gave him back his servo and a cannon as he requested to be able to fight during the war, he gave him the possibility to work as a scientist, to even have his personal guards and take care of Cybertron during his absence. But what had been done to his processor couldn’t be fixed.  
  
«Shockwave’s a victim of the Shadowplay…» Soundwave reminded Megatron «but you still gave him a life again» and then looked at the warlord standing up and pacing around the room. He hated reading his mind, he could sense his nervousness and worry but didn’t say anything, ready to listen to what he was about to say.  
  
«I don’t think I should go bother him anymore. I could only risk to cause more damage…» the taller mech huffed, honestly not feeling able to help his Second anymore.  
This wouldn’t do. Soundwave knew the only one able to make the seeker turn back his true self was Megatron, sure his mates could make him calm down… but Megatron had to do something too.  
«Master» he whispered now, even after making sure no one could have heard them «There is the possibility someone will try to take advantage of this situation.»  
  
Just that was enough to have Megatron’s attention «I already thought about this, Soundwave. And I'd rather no one would actually do anything stupid» he sighed.  
  
The telepath wasn’t done yet and added «The seekers suspect something of me. We’ll lose their trust if he gets attacked. They’ll rebel.» This time the warlord growled, starting to get nervous about this «Starscream needs you, my lord» he finished.  
«Needs me? I’m the one who pushed him to do this.» Megatron seemed still not sure how to actually help the jet, but the telepath could feel he finally understood that, like it or not, he had to help Starscream, even if it was something he never did, even if he was afraid to cause more trouble, afraid to fail or not knowing how to act in some situations.  
  
«You can fix him…» the other repeated and the silver mech shook the head  
  
«Just looking at him makes me feel terrible, Soundwave. When I look at him… I see how much I just ruined that little seeker who deserved nothing of what I did to him». He then stepped closer to the other, staring down at his bloody red visor and then back at the door «I don’t know how to take care of him now».  
The telepath closed the mask on his face plates again «Lord Megatron: knows how to take care of Starscream. » he said.  
  
And that was true. Megatron knew what to do, but was only afraid to fail. «…I know» the warlord sighed and walked over to the door, unlocking it «Thank you, Soundwave» he said with a slightly warmer tone before stepping out. He knew what to do, it would have taken him a lot maybe… but he wanted Starscream back. The seeker he met long ago on Vos. He was an idiot for even thinking about giving up, just after seeing the flier so scared and startled. He would have kept on trying.  
  
Soundwave was right and he promised himself to never ever give up. Even if he failed for a thousand times, he would have tried a thousand more times! Over and over again until he finally succeeded and got his Second in Command back.  
  
  
Soundwave left the room after a joor, when Dirge went to replace him guarding the cameras, their leader wanted the Communication officer to rest more, he kept an eye on his subordinate and noticed how he didn’t get a full recharge cycle the previous night and simply managed to rest for no longer than five joors.  
  
So the blue mech stepped away and walked down the hallway, trying his best to ignore the thoughts of hate and distrust of a couple of seeker when he passed close to them. Obviously the rainmakers told everyone about their thoughts and managed to convince almost all the fliers in less time than what he expected.  
He was glad to be finally back in his quarters, the cassettes and Skywarp still in front of the console. Ravage turned around and literally jumped back into their master’s chassis, happy to see him again while the twins slid down from the seeker’s helm to go greet him.  
«Boss!» Rumble quickly climbed up his leg and the brother shortly followed him  
  
«Nobody dared to kick your aft I see!» he grinned and looked up at the blue cassette that managed to sit on the telepath's shoulder  
  
«Nah Frenzy, his aft is shiny and smooth as always—»  
«Inappropriate.» the Tape-Deck interrupted them quickly, making them both get off him.  
Skywarp stretched and stood up, checked his crono and noticed it was already pretty late. Soundwave probably needed to recharge in peace and despite how much he wanted to just stare at the screen, looking at his two mates… the telepath deserved to rest.  
«So, DJ» he huffed, already walking to the door «Ramjet said that him and Thrust won’t return until late tonight, but I suppose he won’t get angry if I go stay in their quarters a bit earlier…» he then stretched one more time and the wings lowered, hating the idea to remain alone again.  
The Communication Officer looked at the dark jet «Skywarp: allowed to return and use the console when Soundwave doesn’t need it.» then asked «Query: Will Skywarp return tomorrow to use the console again?»  
  
Skywarp nodded quickly «Yes, thank you for helping me». After he opened the door, the black wings raised once again «Though! Skywarp still wants to be called if Soundwave’s having trouble!» he smirked and then ran out down the hallway.  
  
Frenzy quickly shut and locked the door for Soundwave and remained still staring at the entrance «Weird. He didn’t teleport.» he observed and Rumble shrugged «Must have forgotten he’s able to do it. Or maybe he’s so tired he’d end up teleporting into the door». Rumble joked  
  
Soundwave shook the helm and went to lay down on the berth, shortly followed by the two red and blue cassettes that went to snuggle against his arms. He had no idea why, but the idea of having the hyperactive seeker that so often distracted him with stupid jokes while working back in his quarters once again tomorrow managed to make the tense telepath relax and allow him to send a soft wave of calm and serenity to all his cassettes through their bond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took AGES to come out. I'm sorry, I was busy. Hopefully it won't happen again.  
> Now, Shadowplay is a BAD thing that changes the personality of Cybertronians, mind manipulation. IT's bad. 
> 
>    
> One last thing. Believe it or not, I've no idea how this story is going to develop. When I write, things just happen all of the sudden. I planned this chapter to be something very different and this is also why I took more time. The way the characters act isn't something I entirely control. They just.. happen! I have a general idea but the rest just... suddenly happens while I write.


	7. Collecting the fragments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta Killuascreamer
> 
> Units of time:
> 
>  
> 
> 1 Nanoklik - 1 second
> 
> 1 Cycle - 1 minute and 30 seconds
> 
> 1 Joor - 1 hour
> 
> 1 Solar Cycle - 1 day
> 
> 1 Deca Cycle - 10 days
> 
> 1 Stellar Cyle - 1 year
> 
> 1 Vorn - 80 years

It was late night now and Starscream still refused to drink his cube of medical energon. Despite the fact he finally seemed to have calmed down, he still didn’t trust the Constructicon medic completely, the very medic that was currently busy cleaning his tools. Hook had given up trying to convince the flier to take the medicine. In fact the cube was there for while, filled with a weakly glowing purple liquid, in the same position where he left it.  
  
The jet was curled up on his berth, knees close to his newly repaired but still quite dirty cockpit, tired yellow optics focusing on the table where the medicine was. He didn’t want to drink anything, saying he felt like purging and that his tanks hurt terribly. Hook knew he needed to refuel anyway, but forcing it down his throat would have actually caused his inside to reject it. The Air Commander was very stubborn and it didn’t matter that medic spent at least a joor and half trying to convince him to at least try to drink some.  
The medic lied both servos on a desk, finally dropping the last tool as he finished cleaning. The jet hadn't got a very serious damaged on the battlefield. He lost a limb because of what he did to stop him from shooting, but the rest of his injuries were inflicted by their leader during a long period of time and getting summed up together had him weakened. Now his mental state only made this more serious and despite being repaired with a tube attached to his side that slowly and constantly filled his tanks, without drinking something normally, he wouldn’t have got better. He had to drink this on his own.  
«Commander…» he tried to start talking one more time in another attempt of convincing him, but in that moment, the door hissed open and the medic immediately went quiet. The seeker instead, let out a startled gasp, quickly laying his helm down and wings drooping low, starting to shake so much his whole berth began to rattle.

«Doctor.» The big silver mech observed his Second for less than a nanoklik before approaching the Constructicon, who quickly moved away his remaining tools from the desk.  
  
«Lord Megatron» he greeted back, bowing the helm respectfully «May I help you?» he asked, now returning to looking into the other’s crimson optics.  
«I came here to know about my Second’s conditions» he answered, then focused once again on the trembling flier, it really was impossible not noticing him. Despite how much he was probably wishing to seem invisible, everything he did only made him attract even more attention. «Besides… I didn’t expect him to be awake. It’s late.» Megatron added, crossing his arms and sighing, perfectly aware he was the cause of the jet’s reaction.  
  
«His conditions aren’t getting much better, my lord.» that sentence alone managed to bring all the grounder’s attention to the medic once again. The crane scratched the back his helm «His energy levels are quite low, he is scared and weakened by everything that happened to him lately-» he started «both emotional and physical shock had him losing way more power than what he actually used. He needs to refuel, but refuses to.» he then paced over the berth and caressed the smaller mech’s white side where the tube was connected, making the seeker shudder, not expecting that light touch. «Anyway, his energon levels are regular, because I attached this directly into his main lines… but this isn’t enough alone.» he shook the helm «I can’t force him to drink anyway. He’ll reject it, knowing how delicate his systems are».  
Megatron remained a little further from Starscream’s berth, where he could see his frame missing his bright colors, but finally repaired. No cuts, no scratches, no holes. Under the ruined paint, he could see the seeker he once met in Vos so long ago.  
  
But those optics… those yellow optics didn’t belong to his Second. Hook was right, he was getting weaker. And the last thing he wanted was to see even that unknown light glow leaving all of the sudden.  
«He needs to drink that, then?» he asked, pointing at the cube and getting close enough to cover the shivering frame with his shadow. He looked down at him and he found his afraid glance focusing on his dark glowing red’s one, the delicate appendages low and pressed against his back, knees attached to the cockpit, digits nervously scratching into the remaining white paint of his legs.  
  
«Ah, yes. That. It’s medical energon» The green mech picked up the cube and kept explaining «He never coped well with this medicine and its bitter taste. But he must drink this or he won’t get better». Though, he didn’t want to listen… or maybe it was true his tanks hurt.  
Then the warlord shook the helm, sighing and raising an optic ridge «Yes? So he needs to drink…» he murmured  
  
«Yes, it’s necessary. I think I only need to have patience with him» the medic quickly said, putting the cube back down on the table again.  
  
«I see.» Megatron looked over at Thundercracker, he was resting with his wings vibrating softly. That mech was obviously very stressed and it was possible his recharge wasn’t as peaceful as it seemed from outside.  
«Listen Hook, I want you to go to recharge.» he said all of the sudden, leaving the crane surprised  
  
«B-but sir…» he had to stay and check on the two fliers, what did he even mean with that?  
  
«I’ll stay.» the bigger mech simply shrugged and walked over to the Constructicon «I’ll comm you if something goes wrong, but I know tomorrow you’ll work on my Second’s missing limb. I don’t want you to work on that when you didn’t even get a joor of recharge».  
Hook looked at the two jets, actually Megatron and a point… but Starscream was scared of Megatron. He saw how the seeker's optics kept moving from his leader to the weapon attached to his arm. These two would have ended up fighting even now? Please! He wasn’t in the condition to fight now. But he knew he couldn't have remained anyway: that was an order. «Yes, lord Megatron» he simply answered.  
  
He then left after explaining a couple of things that could have happened during his absence and what was considered an emergency. He wasn’t sure this was the best thing to do, but whatever the Decepticon leader’s idea was, he’d better not attack that red seeker now or recover would have been even harder for him. If not impossible at this point.

  
The silver grounder turned around slowly after the door was closed once again. Starscream was there, sitting up now, shaking even more if possible, focusing on the bigger mech. No, not on him… just a part of him: his black fusion cannon. The warlord rolled the optics and approached the little seeker, stopping when the other whimpered and covered his face plates with his arms, dragging the pedes closer to himself, as if he was trying to look even smaller.  
  
«Starscream» the flier gasped as he heard the other calling him, then yelped as he felt a big servo grabbing onto his good arm «look at me Starscream.» Look at him? No.  
  
The jet bit his glossa and turned to stare at his trine mate, as if to call for help, but he was in deep recharge, and couldn’t see what was happening now, nor hear it. Then found his arms being held still at the sides of his helm by his leader’s powerful dark servos, his face plates unprotected. And he didn’t want to cry now. No, not in front of him.  
  
«Stop hiding. I won’t hurt you.» Sure, just like he didn’t hurt him in all these stellar cycles…  
He simply offlined his optics and turned the helm, unable to keep looking at the bigger mech, who now slowly released his arms «You’re afraid I’d attack you now?» he asked, reaching over and placing a digit under his chin to turn his face plates again so he could look at him and gaining a startled gasp from the red flier. «Take this off then» he said, leaving the other even more confused, but at least finally looking back at him.  
«Take…?» Starscream shivered, tilting the helm to a side and trying to understand what the other meant by his words. What did he need to take off? He had nothing to take off- Then he saw his leader’s right forearm laying on his knees. Take off… his cannon? Was he serious?  
  
«You know how to take this off, you built it.»  
  
He really was serious then? Megatron knew how to take it off by himself… but for some reasons now he wanted him to remove it? Better listen then, he didn’t want to get hit. He slowly laid the left servo on the black metal, then held it still even though his arms were still shaking considerably, then slowly took it off with the other.  
  
The grounder grabbed it and put it down on the floor, then reached the seeker’s face plates again with a servo, caressing gently his cheek. Despite how light that touch was, the flier immediately moved the helm back, clenching his denta as if he was there waiting for the pain to come.  
«I want you to heal, do you understand?» the warlord whispered calmly, withdrawing his servo and laying it on the flier’s shoulder instead.  
The smaller mech stared at it for a few nanokliks and remained quiet. It wasn’t true. He didn’t want him to heal. Since when did he ever care? He never cared about anything!  
  
«Drink this» He hadn't noticed Megaton had taken the cube while he was distracted, and now he moved it closer to his face plates.  
  
Starscream's first reaction was the one to tilt his helm back once again and press down on the berth with his servos, to move his mouth away from that medicine. But his leader didn’t stop and grabbing firmly on the shoulder, he pulled him closer once again. He sighed once he saw his Second sealing his lips shut in a thin line. Stubborn as always! At least that didn’t change.  
  
The jet relaxed for an instant when he saw the medicine being placed down again, but gasped and let out a little yelp of surprise mixed to fear once he felt the grounder grabbing onto his waist and pushing him further on the berth. He quickly started to kick and struggle to get away, but once again, in his conditions there was nothing to do. Those kicks wouldn’t have hurt an earthling. Megatron huffed in annoyance and lifted him up, just to lay him back down on his lap once he managed to sit down on his berth.  
  
«You’re worse than a sparkling... as always.» Megatron said, shaking the helm and keeping a servo on the seeker’s cockpit to keep him down and using the other to grab the cube again.  
When he looked down at him again, he saw a very familiar light in those yellow optics. He was offended, wasn’t he? Good. Despite that being not the feeling he was looking for, it would have been easier working with that to make the old Starscream turn back.  
He pushed the cube closer to the seekers face plates again, but he only turned the helm and kept his mouth shut. «Come on, you stubborn…» the warlord tried to push it closer and make him drink, but the other was too determined on keeping the medicine out of his systems. He didn’t even seem to be trying much now anyway. He was so weak, the blue servo reached up to grab onto his own black one. It was so small and fragile, light and trembling weakly, pushing softly his arm to move it away.  
«Starscream…» he put the energon cube down on the small table a second time, now able to wrap his dark digits around his Second’s thinner ones. Their tips where sharp and pointy, but their length was slim and delicate. His race was known to be very physical and that part of their frame was only second to the elegant and sensitive wings.  
  
The silver grounder could feel his low energy through the soft plating, his optics glowing weakly and looking up at him in a confused expression. He seemed to be unable to understand how he was supposed to feel at the moment. Scared? Angry? Calm? But a surprised light left his tired face plates as he heard the last thing he ever expected Megatron to say. something he never managed to hear pronounced by him:  
«I’m sorry.»  
  
The seeker tilted his helm lightly to the side, as if to try to focus on something he couldn’t understand, like a foreign language. But gasped when he was pulled up, closer to the bigger mech’s chassis, strong arms wrapping around his back, careful not to touch the wings. He offlined his optics immediately as he felt a servo landing onto his helm, then onlined them again once he could feel no pain, differently from what he expected.  
  
«I never wanted this to happen.» Megatron’s voice was so different, still deep, low… but it was softer. «I broke you, my little seeker. But I don’t want you to stay this way».  
So now he was feeling sorry? Now?! The flier growled lightly, more to hold in his sobs than to show an aggressive intention. He was angry. After so many vorns of abuse… he had to feel sorry now?! Only after he almost died?! He should have learned that actions had consequences!  
  
«W-well… I guess it’s too late to put back together something you broke!» he finally hissed out, and starting to weep immediately after. Stupid emotions… stupid spark ache, stupid coolant. He growled again and pushed the other, managing to get off the berth and almost tripping on the floor, keeping his balance only after he gabbed on the edge of the little metallic table.  
The grounder stood up, but his expression remained cold. No… not cold. He couldn’t tell what was the emotion he felt at the moment. He hated this… Megatron has never seen him crying before. He cried only when he was taken into the med bay the first time. He held it inside only to let go later. Now that old fool saw him weak… weaker than what he probably considered him!  
  
«You think… That saying sorry is enough?!» he coughed, looking up at his leader, wings low and trembling, he bowed the helm in a desperate attempt to hide those tears «I-It was never enough for you.. e-every time I begged you not to take my wings! O-Or when…» he hissed, wings raising for a nanoklik before drooping quickly again, fluttering in agitation and twitching. The warlord didn’t even move when he felt the blue fingers scratching lightly on his chest plates.  
  
Starscream didn’t move quickly, even if he tried. He just suddenly jumped forward and scratched with his left servo. It didn’t leave more than four light stripes on his already scarred and dented plating. «Or when I failed you! S-sorry wasn’t enough for you! Never!» He spat, raising his arm again to probably attack one more time, but immediately went still, realizing what he just did. It just remained rigid, shaking lightly while the wings lowered even more, brushing the floor with the tips.  
  
He whimpered and tried to back away when one of the warlord’s dark servos reached down to grab him. But it didn’t hit him, he felt it cupping his face plates and tilting his helm backwards to make those deep red optics meet his weakly glowing yellow ones. Regret was the only thing he could read through them. Not anger, not frustration… only sorrow. It was such an unnatural sight.  
«But you’re better than me. Aren’t you, Starscream?» The grounder’s voice was low, tired. But determined as always at the same time «Isn’t that what you’ve always said?».  
  
The jet’s wings shuddered and slowly started to raise again «Of course! I-I am! I’m…» then he stopped and slapped the black servo away from his cheek, only to slam his helm against the silver mech’s chassis «I-I hate you Megatron…!» he growled, keeping his denta clenched tight and wings shuddering in irritation «Y-you old… inconsiderate…!» those servos caressing his back kept on distracting him.  
  
Who was he even talking to? Megatron never did something so gentle to him, that touch was unknown. This reaction… so calm and controlled despite being attacked two times and insulted, being talked back to… was this really possible? Could he even fake this? Was he really just waiting for him to get completely repaired to make him pay for whatever he did now? Would Megatron really be able to hold back and… show this emotion of regret? Say that word even…?  
  
«Too weak and tired to even insult me properly now, are we?» the warlord felt his spark getting warmer as he noticed that offended expression on his Second’s face plates once again. He easily picked him up as he felt the other slowly falling, legs unable to hold him up anymore apparently. This time the seeker didn’t struggle, he let himself get placed once again on his leader’s lap, he didn’t argue and just stared up at him.  
  
When the cube returned to get closer to his lips, he shut the mouth one more time and whimpered. «Come on Starscream… come on.» Megatron tried to hold his helm still, holding lightly on the back of his neck cables, pushing the glass of the cube against his sealed lips. He sighed loudly and decided to change strategy after trying for half joor.  
  
Losing temper and opening his mouth forcefully wouldn’t have done any good, Hook has told him Starscream was supposed to drink by himself. He even thought about talking about how sad his mates would have became if they saw him in this state, but that wouldn’t have helped. He was feeling already quite bad and adding guilt wasn’t the best idea.  
  
The grounder’s hand traveled from the soft cables to the base of his wings, stroking softly with a digit where the red armor met the softer one of his right appendage «You know, my little scientist» he started to talk calmly, his gaze getting softer «Back on Vos, you were wild and proud». The flier’s wing shuddered when the black digits reached the purple insignia on the soft plating of the aileron, now focusing on his master’s words, immediately interested as he heard the name of his city.  
  
«You were the most agile and fastest mech I’ve ever met, smart… tactical. You were brave and determined.» his lips curved into a hint of a smile as he saw the jet’s optics focusing on him again with an interested expression. Flattery always managed to get the jet’s attention. «I choose you as my Second in Command for who you were back then…» he growled softly before finishing «and there’s no one in the whole Decepticon cause that could possibly reach your level».  
  
The seeker purred lightly when a digit traced the long red line on his wing, or at least what remained of it, with all his missing paint. «So don’t you ever dare try leaving me to deal with this war by myself, without a Second in command, Starscream» the warlord looked away «because if you’d leave, no one’s going to take your place, understood? I’d rather stay without a first lieutenant than choosing someone who isn’t you».  
  
There were a few cycles of silence after that last sentence. The two mechs remained quiet and just stared at each other. Deep red lights against yellow ones. Until suddenly, the jet’s lips parted and leaned against the glass of the cube that remained close to his mouth all the time. Megatron tilted it lightly and the medicine slipped slowly over the other’s glossa, the seeker grimacing in disgust at the unpleasant taste of the liquid.  
The silver mech felt his spark starting to spin a little slower now, allowed to relax at least a little. When he stopped drinking, the cube was almost empty, but it sure was enough to make him fall asleep.  
  
  
When Hook almost reached his gestalts now empty quarters, he managed to hear the fast footsteps of a couple of seekers behind him. They didn’t follow him in this big hallway, they probably took a different one to make him feel alone after all.  
  
But this was the third time and he wasn’t that stupid to believe they weren’t following him… probably the Rainmakers again. Yes. They were probably wondering what was he doing out of the med bay, not checking on Starscream and Thundercracker.  
  
Last time they seemed way too worried about the Air Commander and this wasn’t normal at all, they looked more obsessed than genuinely worried about the two fliers.  
What he expected was Acid Storm to appear all of the sudden and ask him where he was going and maybe try to scare him a little with his two mates. He was known to be quite unstable if too angry, as Shockwave had reported. He didn’t expect to find Motormaster and his whole gestalt blocking his way as he turned around the corner. He stopped and looked up at the tall truck, trying to ignore the presence of the other five mechs around him at least for now. Which was kind of difficult, but he tried anyway.  
  
«Doctor» the stunticon leader greeted him, a cold light in those purple optics, but he couldn’t tell what it was. He couldn’t really mean to fight him now, could he? In the base? He was also the only doctor here, why would he fight him?  
  
The constructicon tried to keep a calm expression, not intending to show to the bigger mech how nervous and suddenly lonely he was feeling as soon as they surrounded him. «Motormaster» he simply said greeting back, then turned the helm to look at the rest of his teammates «Stunticons».  
  
Damn it. Wildrider was right behind him, so close he felt the grey mech's knees almost touching the green metal of his hook, smirking and seeming ready to grab a weapon and shoot at him in the back.  
  
What were they even thinking? He gulped down some air and tried to keep himself from shaking. The green mech clenched his denta and reluctantly returned his attention to the truck. Come on, he was the only available medic here. They wouldn't have wanted the only medic they had against them. They wouldn't have been so stupid to injure him and have his whole gestalt against them! As much as Menasor could be considered a threat, Devastator wasn’t weak neither. They wouldn't have hurt him.  
  
...Right?  
«Why don’t you walk with us till we get to our quarters, Hook?» Motormaster smirked, moving his left fist from his waist and opening it «and maybe have a little chat on the way?» he added and remaining silent for a few nanockliks before growling a low «Roller Car. Here.». A small black mech approached the truck, the thin red visor glowing weakly as he pushed his pale face plates against the silver palm of his leader’s servo. The medic looked away from the little drone, afraid to see the other scratching and crashing the crimson glass. Nothing happened luckily, but the Stunticon leader wasn’t known to be gentle with his own mates, this was a little drone and he had all the rights to be afraid to see something like that.  
  
«Six against one, Motormaster?» Hook whispered in his usual low voice when he saw Drag Strip approaching him as well and making it literally impossible for him to run or defend himself using his hook.  
  
A low chuckle left the tall mech’s vocalizer and the green mech could feel his spark spinning crazily inside his chassis «Who’s against who, doctor?» he asked, moving closer to him «We don’t need to fight to make you have a little walk with us, right?» it wasn’t a rhetorical question and it wasn’t innocent at all.  
  
That was a threat. He was obviously smart enough to recognize one when he heard it. «Right.» he answered, looking up at those cruel purple optics.  
«Good, good.» the tall mech turned around and Hook began to move as well, staying behind him.  
  
Sure good. As if he could have answered something else. Oh how much he missed Scarpper and the others right now. He had no idea how this situation would end. Stunticons and Constructicons had nothing that serious aginst each other... they just didn't like each other's company. But they never ever acted this ostile. They were treating him like an enemy, an hostage. These six here were young and often came up with the stupidest ideas. But... why this now? It was the first time. And saying that around him these mechs were somehow even calmer, since he was the one who had them fixed or who helped them understand certain things they couldn't have known, being so young. What did they have aginst him all of the sudden?!  
  
And despite Hook hated to admit it, he was getting scared. He was a grown mech, with vorns of experience and these here were practically younglings. But he was afraid anyway. Being alone without his gestalt, surrounded by six mechs who seemed to have bad intentions and knowing he's been stalked for all the time since he left the med bay... well, all this really had him struggling to keep his cool.  
  
«Shouldn’t you be in the med bay?» the yellow mech at his left suddenly asked him, and made him shudder, not expecting him to be the one making questions.  
  
Hook decided to answer calmly, having nothing to hide «Megatron’s in the med bay. He sent me to recharge so I could work while fully rested on the next operation.» maybe mentioning the warlord would have been enough for them to eventually let him return to his quarters.  
  
«Delicate operation, huh?» Motormaster murmured «Yes, it is only fair you’d have a long recharge cycle before a delicate surgery».  
  
The Constructicon turned around and saw Breakdown remaining further from the rest of his mates, looking back and then quickly moving closer again, as if to make sure nobody was actually following, that fact alone didn’t help the crane to calm down. This was a damn interrogation, not a walk nor a chat.  
  
«So the Commander is still alive, isn’t he?» Dead End said, that didn’t really seem an actual question and in fact his companion Wildrider didn’t leave the other enough time to answer  
  
«Almost died anyway. Is he still like dying, doctor?» he quickly asked.  
  
Hook looked at him to answer coldly «That is private information.» sure he must have been a complete idiot to answer that way to him, but that was the truth. He had no intention to give away that level of information.  
«Someone…» the truck’s voice got his attention «Someone, dear doctor, has told me that Starsream is quite fussy about medical energon.» he simply stated.  
  
It wasn’t a question. Somehow he knew about it.  
  
The crane looked at his left servo caressing lightly on the small drone’s black helm, running a big digit up his white cheek as Roller Car leaned the face plates against it. Of course. He sent him to check on the cameras, nobody would have cared about that small mech. He wasn’t the best spy but that was the most he could probably do. He actually wondered how much of that rather soft but possessive touch he could actually feel at the moment, since he was showing no expression at all, his mouth a thin line that didn’t move from that position.  
  
«You know, maybe you should be a bit more careful» the Stunticon leader continued «maybe he knows that medicine could have collateral effects.» and at this point Hook could literally feel that smirk on the other’s face plates even if he was currently turning his back to him. «I’m merely warning you. I heard the seekers are becoming quite protective with their dear Commander of Vos… they may get angry if they’d find out your medicine had…» he semed to be about to laugh «...something wrong in it.» then turned around and his optics glowed as he loomed over the smaller mech that suddenly fell on the floor, coughing and gasping as if he suddenly couldn’t feel his spark spinning for a nanoklik.  
  
«Oh, you definitely need some rest, dear doctor.» Motormaster made a quick movement with his right servo, calling two Stunticons close to him «Dead end, Drag Strip» he then pointed at the Constructicon on the floor «Give him a hand would you? Take him back to his gestalts quarters.» he smirked, chucking darkly.  
  
Hook couldn’t keep his serious and cold expression. He couldn’t do it. He tried so hard to act impassible as usual but this became ten times harder with the merciless mech Motormaster and all his gestalt were around him while he was there alone. And that last thing he said... that so called warning...  
  
Did he need to start to get worried about what was in the medicine the two fliers were supposed to drink? Was really something wrong with it? No! Impossible! He had been very careful to be the only one touching it. What was that truck even planning? It was a lie. Nobody got in the med bay except for Megatron and his mates from the very moment he started to prepare the medicine. There could be nothing wrong in it!  
  
When the two Stunticons left him in front of his quarters, the crane swiftly ran inside, rushing to his little room and immediately curled up on his berth, imagining that soon his mates would return. The first thing he would do was run up to Scrapper, and start caressing his soft neck cables… and maybe spend the following night with all his companions, and then the next in his leader’s personal room. And same for everyone else for the other four nights after that. He needed to feel them all close to him after this.  
  
  
The third seeker of Starscream’s trine woke up pretty late in the morning, he stretched his black wings and purred lightly while onlining his optics. He understood the coneheads were already up and simply waiting for him when he felt Dirge’s servo stroking the edge of his left appendage and after focusing a bit more on his surroundings, he realized where he was.  
  
Last thing he expected was to discover how patient and gentle Ramjet could be. Skywarp laid his cheek against the warm cockpit of the white flier under himself, then looked up at his dark face plates. «Are you… comfortable like this?» the smaller mech asked, now getting even Thrust’s attention who moved closer and gently ran a digit on the other wing’s plating.  
«I told you» the trine leader sighed, releasing the dark mech’s waist and moving the servos from his back to the berth's soft surface «you move a lot when you sleep, somebody had to hold you still» and then slowly pulled himself up to sit.  
  
Before the purple flier could slide down, the dark red mech quickly pulled him against himself and snuggled him. He was tired and his softer plating probably made him feel way more comfortable «Hn.. Skywarp, where have you been all solar cycle? Our quarters here are still in perfect order, so neither you or Ramjet were here for too long» he murmured, yelping lightly as one of his leader’s red wings rubbed suddenly against one of his own.  
  
«I was …busy.» Skywarp answered, yawning and looking up at the blue jet that swiftly reached down to his leader’s wing and stroked against the resistant plating. That touch wasn’t gentle at all. Quite rough actually, he could hear the metal getting scratched under the other’s digits.  
  
Something like that would have probably made him feel quite uncomfortable, but Dirge’s touch on his plating had always been so pleasing… probably Ramjet’s armor and wings were so used to pain the other needed to literally scratch it to make him feel those strokes. That, or he enjoyed getting hurt. Which was possible too.  
  
The trine leader tilted lightly his helm «Busy with what? Nobody has seen you around the base when I asked them. I simply found you asleep in this berth» he said, but Skywarp saw him looking down at the blue flier quickly, as if he was about to add something else.  
  
Well, no need to keep secrets anyway «I was in Soundwave’s quarters» he answered, stretching lightly and pouting when he heard Thrust chuckling behind him. He huffed when he saw the other two grinning lightly, but instead of acting offended, he decided to play a little «Yes, so rumors already reached you three as well huh?» he smirked, swiftly sitting up and fluttering his wings.  
  
Thrust moved up as well and grabbed lightly on the black appendages «No way, Warp, seriously?» he sounded pretty shocked.  
  
The smaller jet decided to continue «Well, what’s wrong with communicating a little with Communication Officer? If you know what I mean!» he shrugged «But I mostly played with the twins when he was working, you know?» and tried to stop himself from laughing when he saw the expressions on the two cone head's face plates.  
  
Dirge was the one who talked first after at least two cycles of nothing «Wait, you… so you mean you—» but he couldn’t continue.  
  
Ramjet shook the helm quickly and crossed the arms, and Thrust caressed lightly the middle of the dark seeker’s wings «Come on» he started «He probably only let you talk to your mates, didn’t he? You couldn’t possibly be so happy just for getting busy with Soundwave!»  
  
Skywarp turned around and giggled «Ah, no he just let me see them» then purred lightly and his wings fluttered happily.  
  
The white jet started to get off the berth and went to get his weapons, Dirge shifted closer and started to stroke his appendages now, gentle as he expected «Say, how are they? Good I imagine.» he almost whispered, as if to hide his usual voice that always sounded so menacing even when he was actually very calm like now.  
  
«Yes, but Screamer’s kind of… » he stopped and thought again about the fight he almost had with the doctor. Rumble and Frenzy had to jump on his face and Ravage began to bite his leg to keep him from teleporting in the med bay when that happened. «He’s… kind of mad at Hook» he finally said.  
  
The trine leader looked down at him «What? Mad at him?» he was kind of surprised like the other two «He’s the one who saved him and put him back together so many times-» but the smaller jet quickly stopped him  
  
«I guess he’s suspicious he’s just pretending to care.» he sighed and looked down to his own pedes «Though, he calmed down after a little. I guess it’s just… stress?».  
The red and blue fliers would have probably remained there with him for longer, but their leader quickly called them and ordered them to get ready.  
  
Dirge hugged him softly then stood up, Thrust followed right after.  
  
«We’ll turn back earlier this time. You can stay where you like» Ramjet said after his mates left the room «If you’d rather stay up comm us. If you turn back here late do it anyway.» he then left, door hissing shut behind him.  
  
  
Well, yeah. He would have probably remained in Soundwave’s quarters until he had to recharge too. That mech worked too much, even last night it was pretty late. He checked his crono and hissed nervously. Oh it was almost afternoon! He had a very long recharge and so did the coneheads, but they had a better reason to sleep so much, when that night Dirge accidentally woke him up, he had enough time to see how late it already was, then fell back in recharge after probably a few cycles or even less.  
If the Communication Officer had nothing different to do, he was probably already out and working… leaving his cassettes in his quarters. He was so worried about having them walking outside he probably left them there, knowing he would have simply teleported in there. So he did. That is of course after swallowing the cube of energon Remjet left on the desk in the corner for him.  
  
He hadn't done much and wasn’t sure he even felt so hungry at the moment. Well, it wasn’t even so much, just enough for him to teleport around and walk. Without his trine there was no way Megatron would have allowed him to leave the base. And he was right.  
  
TC would have always made sure nothing bad happened every time he did something without thinking, Starscream protected them both even doing something as simply as getting the enemies attention to himself and ending up failing miserably every single attack, but if he had to go out alone all by himself… he wouldn’t have probably managed to do anything.  
  
Well, time to see how those two were this… afternoon. Probably already up and talking to each other? Maybe. It would have been nice seeing them talking again.  
  
When he suddenly appeared in the Third in Command’s quarters anyway, his mood turned from calm to anxious in less than a nanoklik. There was something terribly wrong here. The lights were still off, despite Soundwave’s rooms being always kind of dark even with lights on, this time everything was completely dark. This made it very easy for him spotting the silent mech’s red visor.  
  
He was there sitting on the edge of his berth, one servo keeping the glass of his chest still as it obviously was trying to open itself, the cassettes inside kicking against it to come out, the other one gripping tightly on the side of his helm. The mask covering his face plates wouldn’t allow any expression to get shown but it was so obvious he wasn’t feeling well. He didn’t even look at him when he suddenly appeared so close to him.  
  
The twins heard Skywarp’s teleport sound from inside the Tape-Deck’s chassis and started to yell at him «Ohi! Watch out you! Don’t get too close!» he heard Frenzy shouting while hitting against the glass.  
«Wh…what?» Skywarp's wings drooped low in worry as he simply froze in place.  
  
«Though try to make him reason a little! We can’t stay here forever! It’s been four joors and he’s still in this damn position!» Rumble added.  
  
Four joors? He was sitting there like that for all that time? What happened to him? Was he feeling sick? Did he have a fight with someone? Or maybe he got mad at his cassettes?  
The seeker carefully stepped a little closer, stilling immediately when the telepath’s helm turned and that deep red glowing glass met his optics. He didn’t need to hear his questions. He already read his mind. And the answer came.  
«Laserbeak’s life signal: gone.»

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> first of all: Sorry.
> 
> Second of all: Yeah Roller Car doesnt have a robot form from what I've seen but still. Imagine him like Black Jack maybe? Just with a red visor and white faceplates. This is an AU where despite being a drone Roller Car has some importance. It was way too difficult keeping Menasor one way, was it? He's the car that covers Menasor's chest aynway. 
> 
> Third. Aaand let's keep on adding characters. Now! Is there someone else who wants to get in my damn story? At this point I'll add all the remaining decepticons in the characters tag list.
> 
>  
> 
> Also don't hate Motormaster plz I love him-  
> I love 'em all


	8. Fragile

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta Killuascreamer
> 
> Units of time:
> 
>  
> 
> 1 Nanoklik - 1 second
> 
> 1 Cycle - 1 minute and 30 seconds
> 
> 1 Joor - 1 hour
> 
> 1 Solar Cycle - 1 day
> 
> 1 Deca Cycle - 10 days
> 
> 1 Stellar Cyle - 1 year
> 
> 1 Vorn - 80 years

Their base was placed deep in the ocean, but to be honest it never felt too cold. Their resistance to low temperatures was definitely higher than what earthlings could stand, despite the fact they’d actually found some creatures that used to live around the ice on this planet. Skywarp never felt cold in his quarters or any other place of the ex-ship, sure it was placed underwater and the area close to the external walls were pretty cold. But sometimes he felt warmer even in there instead of outside on the surface at night.  
  
The quarters he stood in at that moment belonged to the Communication Officer, Megatron’s favorite officer, and it obviously was a very warm place. But all of the sudden, the room seemed to be almost freezing, as if its walls and floor got instantly covered by a thick layer of ice. The flier’s wings shivered and drooped low, a light vibration of what he could recognize as fear crawled down his back as he focused once again on the bloody red glowing visor in that complete darkness.  
  
Soundwave had never looked this scary, not when he was alone in his room, wondering if that mech was now considering him as an officer, or a target. There were many reasons why he was actually considered a threat by so many Decepticons. No one ever understood what he was feeling and it was known he could be stronger than what one would expect. And his …sound waves. Yes. He rarely used that power, just like the gun on his shoulder. Some thought it could even be fake, just to look more menacing. But they’ve seen him using it once. It wasn’t fake. A gun that shoot a literal storm of bullets that could easily cut through thick and resistant shields and walls as if they were made of frail glass.  
  
But those sound waves… he had seen him using them once back on Cybertron. He was far away and despite being in the air in his tetrajet form, he risked to lose control and crash into the ground if he wouldn’t have teleported away safely inside the HQ. He only remembered seeing the blue mech surrounded by a few rebellious Autobots, then his audio receptors suddenly ringing and a sharp pain inside of the helm as if a claw was practically there digging inside of his very processor and tearing at the sensitive sensors. That noise… he couldn’t even describe it, because he couldn’t remember it.  
He knew Soundwave transmitted those waves through the ground, not through the air, but if it effected him that way… he didn’t even need or want to ask where those Autobots actually ended up when the Communication Officer returned to the base as well, visor cracked and half of his chest glass missing. What made it more scary: three quarters of his whole frame was covered in a thick mix of fresh energon, oil and dust. He could remember the strong smell of those fluids reaching his olfactory receptors and hitting him hard like a sharp slap once the door opened.  
  
Then the sight of the mech literally covered with the proofs of his massacre left everyone silent. Only Megatron broke the silence and ordered his Third in Command to go immediately to get repaired. Even Starscream was quiet in that moment, he did nothing more than open his wings wide enough to shield him and Thundercracker in an instinctive act of protection, recognizing the telepath as a threat for his mates in that moment.   
  
That one time he used that power because of what an Autobot did to him. One of the things no one would have ever dared to do for obvious reasons: He pinned the telepath on the ground and pierced the hard glass of his chest with a fist, sliding the whole arm inside and dragging out the cassette he tried to eject. It seemed to be Ravage from that distance, it was all black. He then bent it in an unnatural way, making them howl loudly in pain.  
  
After that, the spymaster stood up in a nanoklik and… well. That happened. Nobody should have ever dared to touch his little cassettes. Nobody! And now somebody touched Laserbeak. This Soundwave was the mech who massacred those rebels who dared to tear his cassette out of his chest, breaking his glass and hurting them in front of him. He was alone in a room with him.  
  
«What do you mean gone?» Skywarp felt his spark spinning like crazy and almost stilling a nanoklik later as he fought not to stutter, not believing what the Tape-Deck just told him. Laserbeak was really gone? Had they been shot down? Attacked? They were… offline? Dead?  
«Skywarp’s query: pointless.» Soundwave quickly said «Skywarp: understood Soundwave’s statement.»  
He was trying to control himself from attacking? That time he’d seen him so angry he wasn’t losing control, he wasn’t holding back. He was just furious. The seeker had rarely seen the Communication Officer losing his temper.  
  
No well… let’s even say never.  
  
The only times it happened he was stressed, like when had to quickly find a solution to stop their ship from falling down in the ocean, even then he wasn’t losing his temper. He was panicking, maybe scared and nervous.  
  
But this time… this Soundwave was angry and probably fighting back the urge to hurt the first mech his optics focused on. Rumble and Frenzy were probably right telling him to keep his distance. Maybe he really would have attacked him in such a moment, despite his patience and self control.  
After all he felt Laserbeak’s life signal disappearing all of the sudden. Just like when one day Starscream decided to close his bond and then Skywarp woke up feeling cold and empty, his trine leader somehow missing despite being right there. He was laying in the berth close to him and Thundercracker, awake and staring at the ceiling with a completely numb expression, optics glowing tiredly… which meant he probably didn’t get one single joor of recharge that night.  
  
He refused to answer them the whole morning. He reacted to nothing they would have done or said. He remembered how even his blue mate fell down on his knees, begging his trine leader to talk to them, say something. Anything. But he remained still and silent, looking up at the ceiling like a dead mech and ignoring them completely. Only the following night he began to talk again, cold and distant, but at least he talked to them.  
  
That was enough to make them relax even a little. But for the telepath… this was different. Laserbeak wasn’t there. They weren’t ignoring him like Starscream did. He couldn’t feel them close through their bond, nor physically. And his situation at the moment? Much worse than his own. Skywarp knew many considered him annoying and childish, but managed to get along with most of the Decepticons.  
  
But Soundwave didn’t have that. Soundwave could trust his little assistants and Megatron, but everyone else was known to dislike this mech. He was the boss’ favorite, expert and professional while doing pretty much anything. He never failed and when he did he was quickly forgiven by the warlord and allowed to find a quick solution without being punished. Everyone would have desired such a treatment but despite how much one tried to prove their loyalty, their leader would have always considered the Tape-Deck better and justified every single mistake, which weren’t many honestly. But at this point he was envied by almost the whole crew.   
  
The cassettes were the only ones he had there to protect him now and… No. He was also there to help him. He said it before didn’t he? And he meant it! He wasn’t one random flier no one cared about. He was an elite seeker, the Air Commander’s mate and even if many considered him stupid and annoying, he wasn’t an idiot who didn’t know how to make some fool shut up to show who was the superior seeker there. Skywarp was probably the second mech the spymaster could count on at this point, without considering the cassettes, the other was Megatron. As much as it scared him approaching the other at the moment, he needed to helped him.  
  
  
The flier slowly took a step closer to him. Stopping immediately as he almost felt a wave of distrust and anger knocking into his frame. But the Tape-Deck didn’t move at all. He was still and his servos in the same position as before. One servo on the chest to keep the glass still and the other against the helm.   
The dark jet shuddered, wings shivering and laying low against his back, but quickly managed to raise them again, stopped them in a position where they were not too high and then bent them back. It was a way to make him understand he didn’t mean to hurt him, but at the same time that he was actually feeling scared by his current behavior. Their plating almost completely shielded behind his back, but not raised high to seem superior or menacing before striking. He took another step closer to him, then another and now he could feel his spark spinning inside his chassis at crazy speed, his processor working so fast and his instinct prepared him to get ready to teleport away just in case.  
  
Skwarp had to rested the vocalizer at least three times before finally saying something «It… there must be another explanation if you can’t find their signal» he then opened his arms and hit the floor once with a thruster «This must have happened in the past too… it could mean anything».  
Suddenly he could hear Ravage growling and Rumble shouting «Yes! Ravage’s right! It happened to him before! He was fine, don’t you remember?».  
  
He probably talked about that time the Autobots captured him and managed to hack his systems so they could keep him hidden without risking to have a furious Soundwave going there to get back his cassette and exterminate the idiots who thought that kidnapping the small spy could have been a good idea.   
  
But… Those Autobots wouldn’t have killed Ravage. Optimus Prime wasn’t the kind of leader who would have allowed such an act. He was known to come to these conclusions only if it was extremely necessary. He simply couldn’t manage to extinguish a defenseless prisoner’s spark…  
  
But Soundwave knew this time somebody did threaten him and then the cassettes too. Somebody who, differently from Prime, was a Decepticon known for their violent behavior and lack of trust towards the Communication Officer.  
  
Acid Storm probably had all the other seekers on his side at this point. As much as everyone still feared the Tape-Deck, the rainmaker probably thought he would have never dared to fight them all, even if he obviously had the ability of doing so. Why not? Obviously because he would have only had them all against him, and the Decepticon cause would have lost all the seekers… and the 100% of possibility to have them suddenly rebelling and attacking their former faction.  
  
He couldn’t do anything. He couldn’t fight. He could fight to defend himself, sure… but just enough to get out of a fight unharmed and leaving the aggressor unharmed as well! His situation was terrible and everything could have soon collapsed.  
  
When he still didn’t answer or even make any movement, the seeker quickly added «they could have been kidnapped by an Autobot again. They won’t hurt them, you know how afraid they are of hurting every being able to feel pain-». He then jumped and almost fell backwards when the other removed his servo covering his chest glass which snapped open with a loud noise that broke that silence abruptly.  
  
The three cassettes jumped out and transformed with a sigh of relief, obviously glad to be finally be allowed to get out and stretch.  
  
Rumble soon landed, crossing his tiny arms and standing in front of the spymaster, quickly reached by the brother who imitated his position, both red visors focusing on the taller mech. Ravage instead jumped on the berth and rubbed his helm against a blue arm, back arching and muzzle pushing against the plating, reaching down to the servo that now rested on his thigh, purring when it finally moved to lay on his nape instead.  
  
The telepath moved his helm to stare at the twins for a few nanokliks, then looked back at Skywarp «Acid Storm: threatened the cassettes before.» he said, not allowing his emotions to pass through the thick mask that shielded him.  
The seeker moved closer, now feeling slightly braver than before and finally managed to lay his shaking purple servo on the other’s one that still rested on the helm. The blue digits twitched, but understanding the other’s intention, they moved and allowed the other to curl his around them.  
  
«Listen Soundwave… I’m sorry» he sighed «I promised I would have helped. I’ll go look for them, okay? I…» he grabbed on the other’s wrist with both his servos and stroked lightly on his palm.  
  
He was afraid of seekers wasn’t he? He was probably wondering if he could trust at least him or if he was just playing. Soundwave showed his face plates and made it clear he had nothing to hide, but Skywarp did nothing more than allowing him to touch his wings. Sure, it was a very private thing, not many could be allowed to do that… but they weren’t hidden, unexposed and a mystery to almost everyone… it was obvious he still couldn’t trust him completely.  
  
  
His thoughts obviously made the other nervous as he saw him raising the helm, probably trying to find the best words to say something, but Frenzy quickly jumped on the desk, followed by the brother who went to sit on the chair instead «We could have started this research this morning!» the first one huffed, visibly worried about this missing companion.  
  
Rumble slammed a fist on the desk in anger «But you kept us locked in there! We want to find Laserbeak too! We miss her too».  
«Soundwave: aware of Cassettes' emotions.» the spymaster simply answered, running a digit on Ravage’s ears to caress them gently. «Soundwave: not willing to take other risks.» he added, earning an annoyed huff from the twins.  
Skywarp pulled on his servo and the Tape-Deck looked up at him again. He was also aware of the fact the seeker has been wondering if he did trust him or not. And yes, he had some doubts… he felt terrible for not trusting the other completely. But he was a seeker, like Laserbeak said. He was bonded with the others, all the other fliers were like his brothers.  
  
He refused to talk again and tilted his helm to a side when he heard the other’s thoughts. He wanted to show him he could trust him again? Then the purple servos let go of him, now grabbing on the guns attached to his arms and slowly removing them. The blue mech looked up at the seeker in front of him. The wings slowly drooped low, spread open this time. A sign of submission the Communication Officer learned to recognize when Starscream tried to make his punishment end quickly every time Megatron went to beat him up.  
  
Exposing the wings like that meant he wasn’t trying to escape nor fight back and not even getting ready to dodge the next hit, in such a vulnerable position they were easy to punch and scratch. It was a silent way to say he wasn’t trying anything this time, that he was now submitting to anything the other would have done, unable to hide or fight back. He usually hoped that simply giving up instead of fighting back would have been enough to make his leader end everything quickly, not needing to make him stop struggling. Long ago he used to talk back and try to fight him, lately he wasn’t doing more than standing there and take the punishments without saying a word or fighting. Like he did last time.  
  
Then the two guns fell on the floor, the jet pushed them both away with a pede, far enough not to allow himself to reach them or use them. He showed him he was unharmed. It was a thing seekers rarely did around grounders. They did it in the med bay, sure. But they were well protected in there.   
Hook knew how to defend his patients. They didn’t trust him completely, but knew he wouldn’t have thought about causing them harm. Well, maybe he did cause them some harm with his surgery… it couldn’t be avoided, but that was obviously necessary to help them, not to break them.  
  
Skywarp then reached over to his servo again and gently took it in his own, holding lightly on the wrist with one and caressing the digits with the other. Soundwave’s servo was probably less delicate than the seeker’s ones, he used them every day almost every moment of his existence to hit keyboard buttons or wires, they were probably almost completely numb. They weren’t the most sensitive part of his frame, while for the other it was probably the opposite, that must have been the reason why he was being so careful, as if he was afraid to hurt him accidentally.  
  
«You think you can’t trust me completely… I can tell why. You showed me your face plates and I didn’t do much else for you. And now Laserbeak’s missing you feel like you can’t trust anyone except your cassettes or Megatron».  
Soundwave remained quiet once again. He couldn’t give him an answer so easily, he felt a little ashamed for not trusting the jet. Saying lately he was going through such a bad situation he couldn’t even pretend to act carefree and dumb as he was used to do before. But again, Skywarp was not stupid. Far from that. He could have been optimistic, very positive and liked to play around… but he knew when it was time to be serious and stop playing around. Like now for example…   
  
It was time to calm down a little. The telepath suddenly stilled completely when he saw the other bending his back and slowly kneeling down in front of him, helm bowed down, wings low and relaxed, touching the floor underneath. The servo holding onto his wrist slowly leading his own to those large appendages, releasing it and going to curl behind his back with the other as if they got tied together only when it reached the base of his wings and the palm laid there flat against the sensitive joints. This display of submission… it was something he would have never expected from this seeker.  
  
It was something so intimate and rare for one of his kind acting like this with a grounder, it simply meant that in this situation Soundwave could have done anything and he wasn’t afraid of it.   
He obviously recorded these images now, and the spymaster could have done whatever he wanted with it. If his fellow seekers would have seen such a thing… well, it wouldn’t have been nice for Skywarp. Kneeling in front of a grounder like this? Allowing him to touch this part of his frame… literally allowing the other to tear away his delicate appendages if he desired?   
  
Soundwave wasn’t an expert about this race’s traditions and behavior. But he knew enough about this one.  
  
Ramjet had done this in front of Starscream after a fight they had long ago on Cybertron. He seemed to be questioning the Air Commander’s competences and apparent superiority.   
The two suddenly began to hiss and fight without losing time to argue, it wasn’t necessary apparently. The white flier didn’t intend to talk, seekers must have known when the other meant to fight for dominance and discussion wasn’t something they intended to consider as an option in these cases.  
  
That time Megatron didn’t even try to stop them. These things usually annoyed him so much… two mechs of the same faction fighting like that, but that time he knew better than to interrupt two seekers busy proving their superiority to each other. They stopped reasoning and didn’t consider their surroundings anymore. In fact it didn’t really matter they were inside of the HQ at the moment. It didn’t even matter the fact they both were on the same side.  
  
Soundwave has rarely seen Starscream attacking with such ferocity, ignoring completely the null rays he so loved to use, keeping the distance and shooting. No. This time he used the claws and his teeth.   
  
The two still seemed to be quite careful not to cause too serious wounds, in fact he remembered how more than once the Air Commander had the possibility to tear at the other’s neck cables but ignored them completely and slashed across his face plates instead. That was another personal part of a Cybertronian’s frame and hitting someone there as if they weren’t important was absolutely outrageous.  
  
Another reason why removing someone’s face plates was an idea only a cruel and sick processor could have. Even if that was more a grounders’ thought actually. For the seekers that was less disrespectful than ruining their wings, but just because their elegant appendages represented the most important part of themselves, they weren’t even second to their very spark.   
  
Either way, a scratch on their cheek was obviously enough to make them burn with rage as well… and that was probably the reason why he decided to do that instead of tearing at his neck cables. He wanted him to stay alive to be aware of his defeat, to realize who the superior flier was between them, push him to submit and unable to revenge for those acts of disrespect.   
When the conehead surrendered, things went a little differently from what Skywarp did this time, obviously because of the different shape of their frames.   
After Ramjet fell on the ground, lip leaking and armor covered in bike markings, cuts and scratches, he swiftly moved to stand on his knees, helm laying low and servos behind his back, as if they suddenly got tied tight in a pair of cuffs. The red seeker landed gracefully in front of him looking superb and powerful despite his own dented and scratched plating, wings high in a sharp angle and denta bared, warm energon dripping from them.  
  
The white flier slowly raised the helm again and just to lie down on his back, then turned it to a side, without daring to move the arms from that position. Soundwave already considered this position submissive, exposing his cockpit like that, literally allowing the other to kill him if he wanted that. But again, for seekers that wasn’t their most important part, and in fact the conehead offlined his optics, pushed his legs together, bent the knees to bring them closer and then rising them up straight to let the other touch the wings.  
  
The red flier reached over and grasped the ailerons at the base, a claw running down the joint threateningly. White legs trembled tiredly and wings struggling to stay open wide, without pushing back to hide from Starscream’s servos but it was obviously pretty useless, since he had the possibility to tear them away if he so desired. It didn’t happen, the Air Commander pushed his legs down and let him go, telling him to go get himself repaired, then Starscream walked back to stand close to Megatron, completely ignoring the fact he was covered in wounds as well, simply acted as if nothing happened.   
  
Just that, they didn’t talk. Their kind didn’t need to use verbal language in these cases.  
  
But Soundwave wasn’t a seeker and the purple flier in front of him knew this. It wasn’t a surprise both Rumble and Frenzy fell down the desk, shocked by such an unsuspected act. They looked at each other, but didn’t say anything. Certain things managed to leave them so confused they finally kept their mouth shut for once.  
  
Ravage jumped off the berth and curiously lied a paw on the jet’s leg. He was not understanding this, and even wondered if the other suddenly felt bad or something like that.  
  
The telepath felt his servo shivering but managed to keep it there on the other’s back and he felt the energy flowing from the black frame through his digits.  
  
«I wish you’d believe me when I say you can trust me, Soundwave» Skywarp said, not looking up at the other’s visor and in that moment the Tape-Deck realized how difficult it really had been for him to do this.  
  
When he saw him so nervous and sitting in silence on the berth, the jet didn’t stop thinking about him covered in energon, that one time he attacked the Autobot who hurt Ravage. He was scared and despite everything he was there, in such a vulnerable position, unarmed and not even looking at him, unable to see any kind of attack coming,  that alone made it impossible for him to teleport away in time.  
«Soundwave: trusts—» but he stopped, bringing his free servo up to his mask and slowly retracting both that and the visor. «I trust you.» he repeated, talking like a normal mech and not like a drone, then he moved his digits away from the base of the wings.  
  
«I want to help you, you know that right?» The seeker looked up at him now, servos leaning on the floor «I don’t know if your bond between you and your cassettes is similar to mine with the trine» he sighed, looking quickly at Ravage and then the two twins «But if they suddenly stopped feeling Laserbeak all of the sudden, if they’re supposed to, like you do… I understand how it feels!» his wings twitched, a frustrated growl leaving his vocalizer «It feels like scrap when one day you wake up and your mate is no longer connected to you…».  
  
The Communication Officer helped him to get back up on his pedes and sighed, looking at the twins as well now. He knew how they felt. Like scrap, indeed. It was obvious they wanted to go look for her, but after what happened… could they blame him for not wanting to lose them too? They were strong, yes, but he didn’t intend to take more risks.  
«I can’t let them get out alone. I want them safe.» Soundwave sighed, focusing on the flier’s optics once again «I can’t lose more.»  
  
But the other quickly interrupted him «You didn’t lose anyone! You can’t be sure! I’ll look for Laserbeak, I’ll… I’ll…» he then looked at the red and blue cassettes and quickly added «I’ll take them with me! I’m an elite seeker, Starscream’s mate. No one would dare to mess around with me! I can teleport away if anyone would actually dare!».  
Rumble quickly snapped out of that moment of confusion and jumped on Skywarp’s leg, quickly climbing up and standing on his shoulder, obviously now it would have been impossible taking them back inside of his chassis. «Yeah damn! We do this! Boss come on, Skywarp here has got a point!»  
  
Then Frenzy quickly reached him, on the opposite shoulder «We ain’t gonna stay here doing nothing, it’s useless! It’s stupid!». It was… difficult as it was admitting it. But Soundwave knew that was true that they needed to go look for her instead of staying there hidden in his chassis all the time.  
  
The red cassette swiftly added «Ravage will stay with you! He’ll stay so you won’t be completely alone, in case you’d need a little protection. He’s good at that».  
  
Ravage agreed silently through their bond, rubbing his muzzle against the telepath's leg.  
«I’ll tell Buzzsaw to find you as soon as he returns, I want him safe as well. I’ll come get him later when I’m done working.»  
  
The twins jumped down as soon as they heard that, their boss didn’t say yes… but since he didn’t disagree, he was allowing them to do this.  
Soundwave pushed both the mask and visor in place, covering his face plates one more time.  
  
«I’ll find him, don’t worry Sounder, I’m a seeker. It’s my job!» Skywarp’s wings opened wide and fluttered proudly, but he tilted the helm to the side when he heard the two snorting  
«Sure Skywarp» Frenzy whispered, making the tall mech huff in annoyance «What? What do you want now Rumble?!»  
  
The actual Rumble growled «Stop it! I am Rumble!».  
«Laserbeak: femme.» Soundwave simply said, not surprised the flier got confused. He never really got much interested into knowing the cassettes.  
  
The dark jet remained quiet for a cycle, then shook the helm quickly «Oh. She. A she.» He was embarrassed. He really never imagined Laserbeak was a femme… why did he even assume that seriously? «Well then. Uhm. We’ll go find her!» he corrected himself and stared down at the blue cassette «Now can we actually go and get her... Frenzy?» he asked  
  
«You’d better tell Hook to check on your optics when you meet him. Can’t you tell the difference between blue and red?» the cassette kicked his leg  
  
«You ain’t funny! You know that??» Frenzy shouted, but the flier quickly grabbed them both  
«That’s what you get for switching colors all the time and making me go crazy!» he grinned «Now shut up you two, it’s time to travel Warp-style.»  
  
Soundwave saw that characteristic purple light glowing the whole room for an instant followed by that teleportation sound.  
  
  
When Hook left his gestalt chamber that morning, he wasn’t expecting to make it to the med bay without being stopped again by the Stunticons or the three rainmakers. Especially because he saw the little black drone standing in a corner and leaving once the green mech spotted him. Damn it! As he ran down the hallways his processor suddenly focused on the truck’s words again. He really did something to the medicine? It was impossible...  
  
Wasn’t it?  
When he arrived, he was so glad to see the two jets already awake sitting on their berths and Megaton standing next to the console. They didn’t seem to be in pain and if they would have drank something harmful, the console would have showed the problem immediately.  
  
«I’m.. I’m here to start working» he said, trying to calm down and obviously his leader could see there was something wrong.  
  
Megatron retrieved the fusion cannon from the floor and put it back on his arm, then approached the Constructicon «Is there a problem, Hook?» he asked, not even showing a sign of weakness due to a whole night he spent sleepless guarding the two fliers.  
  
«No, my lord… I just ran to get here.» he didn’t even want to mention the possibility of the medicine being dangerous now those two could listen to him as well… he wasn’t even sure about this! The first thing to do would have been checking it and their conditions.  
  
«Hm. They woke up a joor ago.» he glanced quickly over to Thundercracker, who slowly tried to get off his berth to probably go reach his trine leader, but the crane also noticed and stepped a pede on the floor  
  
«Where do you think you’re going?» he shouted «Stay there, before you fall and break your other leg as well!» he added as he rebuked the blue seeker who quickly returned back to sit down, pulling his knees close to his cockpit.  
  
He usually was very understandable and serious, but in such a moment he couldn’t even blame him for wanting to go back close to Starscream.

As soon as Megatron left, the green mech ran to the desk and started to make researches on a sample of the medical energon the Air Commander left in the cube.  
  
Nothing.  
  
There was nothing wrong with it! And nothing wrong with them either. They were fine, even better than before actually! They began to regain energy after the long recharge and the positive effects of what he gave them to drink. So what were they even planning? Why was Roller Car keeping an optic on him? Maybe he wanted to spy on him? Maybe he was out there or in the control room again?   
  
But after observing the medic the little black Stunticon did nothing more than slowly returning to his quarters, walking in a calm and steady rhythm, a blank expression on his face plates, the silence of the hallways broken by his light and almost imperceptible footsteps.  
  
When the door hissed open, the little Decepticon stepped inside, then remained at the entrance as it closed behind his back, not moving further. Not until Motormaster called him «Here, Roller Car.» he ordered, and the drone obviously obeyed, stopping in front of his leader, currently laying down on the large berth, resting his helm on a fist and lying the other servo on the soft surface. «You checked if our dear medic went to work again? Good.» he held the smaller mech’s chin with a digit and caressed the pale face plates with the thumb.  
  
Drag Strip crossed his legs, sitting on the floor in the middle of the room «Should we do something more, or do you think that’ll do?» he asked, watching as the little drone got pulled up on the berth and automatically lied down on their leader’s chassis.  
  
«No» he shook the helm, caressing the tiny wheels on the black car’s shoulders «Those three heard enough. It’s not necessary causing actual harm to the seeker! They’re so paranoiac now that the smallest sign of a trouble would push them to make a mess. IF the paranoia alone isn’t enough, of course».  
  
Breakdown looked quickly down at the data pad he’d been reading then at the truck «I-If the rainmakers will rebel, all the others will too. We won’t… I mean… Won’t we end up having them against us too?» he asked, paranoiac as always.  
  
«They won’t attack us. It’s quite obvious they’re mostly focused on Soundwave and Megatron… we haven’t been doing anything to push Starscream to shoot at himself.» the truck answered, sure he thought about this situation as well, but it probably wouldn’t have happened.  
«They’ll come kill us in the end… I am sure about it…» Dead End murmured, as if too afraid to talk, observing the empty cube of energon he held. Then he quickly removed his mask as soon as he realized he was being watched with a very annoyed expression by the big mech.  
  
«I told you a thousand times not to talk to me with that tone!» he barked, sitting up and growling as the red Porche almost dropped the cube «and don’t whisper!» he added, and suddenly seemed to get even more enraged. He stood up and pushed the black drone away, making him almost trip and fall down.  
  
Drag Strip moved immediately out of the way, not intending to get shoved away as well, while Wildrider remained still, not even moving his glance from the data pad he has been reading… differently from Breakdown, who dropped his own when their leader stood up and only grabbed it again to hide his face plates behind it.  
The truck stopped in front of the now shivering red mech, engines growling «What did you say?» he hissed, denta clenched tightly.  
  
«Ah… nothing important…» the smaller Stunticon answered, bowing his helm and letting the empty container slide down from his digits and placing it on the table.  
  
But that answer only made him get pinned against the wall, a strong silver servo holding tight around his neck cables, forcing him to stare into Motormaster’s optics. «I’ve had enough of your behavior and your depression, do you understand that Dead End?!» he shouted «I’m sick and tired of you using this fragging excuse so you could talk like a defective drone when you’re not!».  
  
The other coughed, grabbing weakly on the strong arm that held him up against the wall. Breakdown bit his glossa, gulping down the air and daring to look at the two. Poor Dead End… it wasn’t his fault. And today he didn’t want to see him getting beaten up, it didn’t sit well with him… and they all could feel that though the bond.  
  
He didn’t want that. But as he tried to open his mouth and speak, Wildrider hissed from behind him, making him jump «Be quiet Breakdown. Let him handle it.».  
  
The blue mech shivered, slowly turned around «b-but…» he tried, but it would have been impossible discussing this with him, he didn’t want to.  
  
«Let him handle that.» the Ferrari simply repeated, now focusing again on the data pad «He needs to get out of that situation alone» he eventually added.   
The red mech squirmed in the other’s grasp, gasping when it got tighter around his soft cables  
  
«What did I tell you not to do when you talk to me?!» their leader growled, now releasing him a little to allow him to speak.   
  
«T-to agh…» Dead End took a deep intake, despite that servo loosening, it seemed not to allow him to take such an action, he mangled to gulp down a little cold air. «To remove the mask-! A-augh... Not to keep it on… at least when we’re inside our quarters and when I talk to you. Then… then not to whisper when I talk to you.» he coughed «Not to look away when I talk to you. N-not… to voice m-my usual depressing thoughts for nothing-! W-when they’re not… w-when nobody needs to hear them...!».  
He was released, but his leader was still there, staring down at him, expecting him to continue… and this time he didn’t because he couldn’t tell what else he forgot to say! His purple visor glowing weakly, expecting to get beaten up again at this point  
  
«And?» the truck asked.  
  
«And… not to speak without thinking first—» but the other shook the helm  
  
«That too. But what did I say about this bad habit of yours when you seek attention?» his voice a lot calmer from the one he used before.  
  
The red mech was so tempted to look down, but didn’t really need to seem that stupid ignoring the rules he just reminded himself about, so he kept looking up in his optics «Not to use sad, depressing sentences to express my loneliness and just hope you’d pity me and assume I need attention...».  
They remained in silence for almost two cycles, then Motormaster crossed his arms, raising an optic ridge «Well?» he said, focusing on the smaller mech’s expression.  
  
Dead End looked down again for a moment, then back up at his leader «Yes, Motormaster. I do. I need attention now» and the other moved a servo over to his cheek, without touching him. He left it there open and near him without doing anything.  
  
It was the red Stunticon who pushed his face plates against his palm, engines purring softly as those same digits that a few cycles ago has been squeezing his throat now traced the light plates of his cheeks, the edges of the visor and he did nothing more than push further into that possessive touch, daring his servos to reach up and pushing lightly on the back of the bigger one, as if he was afraid the other would have suddenly moved away.  
«What did I tell you?» Wildrider pushed Breakdown lightly «stop worrying for nothing.» he added, making the other huff in annoyance.  
  
«Y-yes but… he was squeezing his neck and he…» but he got interrupted again  
  
«Stop worrying. He’s fine. See?» Yes, true. He was fine. Motormaster now pulled him closer, caressing his back and allowing their mate to snuggle against his side.  
«Motormaster…» Dead End sighed, moving the helm away from the other’s servo for a moment and looking up at him «I really do worry this won’t end well for us.» he confessed, sighing loudly, as if just saying that caused him a much bigger effort than what it seemed.  
  
The truck shrugged, at least appreciating his mate was behaving as he told him this time «We did nothing. And we won’t do anything, as I said. Those rainmakers could simply do all the job for us. We won’t do more than taking advantage of the situation. If our leader will no longer be able to rule the Decepticons, somebody will have to take his place.» he took a little pause «If this won’t happen, we won’t lose anything neither».

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, first of all... all these weird behaviors... I've no idea if they're canon in some weird universe but let's say they're all an headcanon I have. Uhm... At this point I should explain it.  
> Seekers are very physical mechs, their digits are very sensitive but not as sensitive as their wings. Wings are more important than their own spark, a seeker with no wings would feel better if he was dead. Their faceplates are also a very important part of themselves, more important than their servos but not as much as spark and wings of course. 
> 
> For grounders the faceplates are a private part of their frame almost like wings for the seekers, but in this case less important than the spark. Some consider their servos very important too, some don't. But even more sensitive and personal of the faceplates are the neck cables. That's mostly for Decepticons anyway. Even the seekers consider them a personal part of themselves and don't allow many to touch them there.. mostly because they fear to get killed. 
> 
>  
> 
> Also, this chapter could have been longer but I realized it was already a bit too much.


	9. Unsteady position

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta Killuascreamer
> 
> Units of time:
> 
>  
> 
> 1 Nanoklik - 1 second
> 
> 1 Cycle - 1 minute and 30 seconds
> 
> 1 Joor - 1 hour
> 
> 1 Solar Cycle - 1 day
> 
> 1 Deca Cycle - 10 days
> 
> 1 Stellar Cyle - 1 year
> 
> 1 Vorn - 80 years

«Starscream, look at me.» the crane’s voice managed to distract the red seeker from his thoughts. He finally turned the helm in a slow movement to observe the the Constructicon, giving him a confused look, almost annoyed and curious at the same time. He was there, standing next to the berth with a data pad in his servo, the bright red light of his visor reflected on the smaller object he held as he gave it a quick glance.  
  
From his nervous expression it seemed like he already called him a few times before and he didn't received an answer. That had to be the case, since if he thought about it, the flier couldn’t be sure how many things had happened since he got lost in his thoughts. He could just tell that last time he focused on him, the medic was standing next to Thundercracker, slowly moving his leg to test if he felt any pain bending the knee. He didn’t even hear him waking closer.   
«What do you want?» he grumbled while rubbing his dark face plates with his blue servo, tracing lightly the plating around his optics. Hm... He probably shouldn’t have talked like that to the medic. He should have tried to control his temper. But he was just so nervous he couldn’t even stop those words from leaving his mouth. He didn’t need to talk like that to the only mech outside of his trine who showed him he had no intention to hurt him. Not even when literally pushed to defend himself, with an angry seeker threatening to rip open his chest plates.  
He saw how Hook tensed, visor glowing angrily but simply huffed and relaxed right after. The Constructicon looked down on the bright screen of the device in his servo reminding himself to be patient with the flier. He was wounded, mostly emotionally than physically and he imagined he had been thinking about many things lately.  
  
He just started to slowly trust him, understanding he really meant to help him and wasn’t trying to play with him. Now losing his temper and shouting at the jet wouldn’t have helped at all. Even if this was supposed to be fifth time he repeated the question, he asked with a calm and low voice: «Do you feel any pain in your tank?» and this time, he finally received a silent answer, followed by a confused expression when the other stopped shaking the helm.  
Starscream bit his glossa, trying to convince himself to speak with a softer tone, not his usual loud voice. He knew very well how nobody could stand his tone when he raised the volume too much. But now he seemed way too distracted to remind himself to talk calmly. He hadn’t been injured there… he wondered what kind of question that was supposed to be, then huffed «Why? More medical energon to drink? Ah! But, if that’s the case, yes-». And of course he could tell that talking like that again only pushed the doctor to stare down on the floor, starting to lose his patience.  
  
Damn it! He hadn't mean to react like that. He didn’t know why he was just so damn nervous about everything! About sleeping too much, not enough, about having the medic telling him to drink his medicine, about him asking how he was feeling… he didn’t even know how he could allow that old fool to convince him to drink that disgusting medicine last night!  
  
He sighed and looked down as well. Nobody hurt him since they retreated, nobody punished him. Nobody yelled at him. Nobody, not even Thundercracker. He remained quiet most of the time, without telling him how he should have talked to them earlier, how he shouldn’t have kept all those emotions for himself until it was obvious it became too much for him. Not that he acted like he didn’t care. No way! The short time they remained in the med bay, his dear trine mate always went to sit next to him whenever he could.

Like that morning, just after their master left and Hook helped the seeker to reach his berth. He immediately brought his dark servos up to his leaders appendages, massaging softly at the base and running the digits up to the tips, feeling the newly repaired plating, so soft under his touch. Then he leaned closer and caressed the metal where the paint was still missing, rubbing his lips against it.  
  
Starscream stroked his mate’s appendages in return, the sharp digits tracing the seams on his back and he reached over closer to brush his dark face plates against the white cheeks of the other seeker when he moved away from his wings, whispering in their native language.  
  
He tried to hush him every time the blue flier repeated how sorry he was for not defending his leader properly. It wasn’t his fault. It seriously wasn’t. Thundercracker already had to deal with Skywarp all that time, who obviously couldn’t stand to be blocked out since he closed his bond with them. That hyperactive mech didn’t simply accept that he got to be close to him in their quarters, when the three recharged together. No, he had to feel them all close in any moment. Had to understand how they felt… always. And he had to take care of his own fragile mental and physical state to care about calming him down.   
  
He must have sounded so uncaring and cold.   
  
The truth was that he has just been asking himself questions like “Am I even living anymore?” or “Should I simply throw myself on the Prime’s ax? It’d look like I didn’t even do that on purpose… tsk, as if someone would care about it”.  
«Starscream, I’m sorry. I acted like a terrible mate. I should’ve-» he immediately covered his mate's lips with a digit of his left servo, refusing to touch him with that silver prosthetic. Thundercracker whispered some other apologies anyways, then stopped immediately as his trine elader leaned closer, his nose rubbing against his pale cheek. The servo moved down, gently stroking under his chin with the thumb and keeping the index on his mouth.  
  
«You don’t have to apologize. Stop it.» Starscream commanded, tone soft and voice low. His mate murmured something else but quickly stopped again when the red seeker began to rub his lips against the soft and shivering metal of his silver ailerons.  
  
Starscream didn’t want Thundercracker feeling guilty for something that wasn't his fault. He didn’t put that weapon in his servo and didn’t tell him to shoot at himself, he never hurt him. Maybe sometimes in the past he did insult him but… honestly, in the past how many things did he actually yell at both him and Skywarp? It happened.  
They were his brothers and yes they did argue sometimes, but at night in the berth they all cuddled close. It was literally impossible to stay angry at each other. There were times when he remained nervous and growled at the two to leave him alone and sleep as far as they could from him. Thundercracker always gave up first, but Skywarp was stubborn and in the end managed to pull him closer again.  
  
He wondered how bad Skywarp felt now, having to stay even for simply two nights in their quarters alone. He couldn’t stay alone! He needed to wrap his arms around someone, he moved so much, kicking and shifting because of his instincts to literally feel someone else there with him even while recharging. How did he manage to stay in their room all by himself?  
  
Starscream sighed and thought about the seeker’s shared quarters. Skywarp probably went to sleep with them, he never had problems staying with the others, quite the opposite from himself. As time passed by, his fliers started to disrespect him so much, he couldn’t even stand to be around those idiots anymore.  
Nobody even cared about listening to his orders and wasted their time doing practically the opposite! And they wondered how so many raids could go wrong! Sure, if they would have listened instead of making fun of him with every single thing he said! But of course not! The red jet hissed and almost punched the berth, when he looked again at the green mech in front of him.  
  
He reset his vocalizer and hissed annoyed «Well? More of that stuff to drink or something now?» he asked, immediately silently cursing himself once he realized what an annoyed and quite screechy tone he used… again. Damn it. Damn it!  
  
  
«No.» the Constructicon answered, first raising the helm to stare for a few nanokliks at the Air Commander and then rolling the optics behind the thick visor. At this point he wondered if the other did it on purpose, if it really was because of all the stress or it was just a habit, reacting with such hostility at everyone near him.  
  
Everyone who wasn’t a seeker. A seeker from his trine.  
  
He quickly looked over at the blue jet. There he was: legs held close to his cockpit, wings pressed against his back in a comfortable position they used when they weren’t feeling any strong emotion. The crane smiled softly once he saw him huffing and looking up at the ceiling, as if all of the sudden, it could have opened in half and Primus himself would have came down form above and somehow managed to help him to reason with his very stubborn trine leader.  
From both their behaviors, it almost seemed like they both forgot what happened two solar cycles ago.   
  
They didn’t mention anything about it, Starscream didn’t talk about it, and he never tried to justify himself. Thundercracker never brought up the topic, he didn’t complain. And despite his mature and serious personality, he always had to say what he thought if he got nervous. But maybe it was just for the stressful moment they both decided not to mention anything about it, or because they both were forcing themselves to act as relaxed as they could in front of the medic.  
  
Yeah, that must have been it. Something Hook didn’t appreciate at all. He wanted to know if there was something wrong and the reaction Starscream had, pinning him on the berth and threatening him only made him believe there were indeed more feelings they both were trying to suppress.  
  
That was the wrong decision. They needed to vent for spark sake! Alright he was a medic, not a psychiatrist. But damn it! As if they had another choice of medical officer! Some Decepticons referred to him as CMO… Chief of... who exactly?? Was there another medic in this excuse of a base? In this ex-ship underwater in the middle of the ocean? No! He was alone and seriously never expected to be put in such an absurd situation!  
  
He remembered how at first not just a few soldiers complained about a Constructicon who was seen almost every day with his servos in the dirt, working with the others to build machines or digging underground to find energy resources was now working as a medic as well! They didn’t trust his abilities, they thought he would have left pieces of rocks and mud inside their frame every time he had to operate on them.  
  
Luckily they soon understood not to underestimate his abilities as both fighter, medic and second in command of the Constructicons. Even Motormaster and his Stunticons, the last ones who joined the cause quickly learned not to judge him… despite their aggressive behavior. Yeah, he had to admit they sometimes managed to scare him, like last night. But he couldn’t complain about anything, he was respected by almost everyone.   
  
He seriously couldn’t have started to work as a psychologist too. He really had no time to sit next to his patients and make them talk about their problems before they came to the same conclusion Starscream did. Though, he was a good interrogator, a very good substitute for Shockwave here on Earth. But that wasn’t the same! He couldn’t act like that with the Decepticons! He couldn’t tie them on a berth, pull out a saw and tell them: “Now, I’ll ask you some questions. For every answer I won’t get, I’ll take a piece of you instead!” Obviously not. Well, at least Starscream did vent with him in his own way… not just with words but actions too, not that they could have caused him any really damage anyway.   
  
Hm… Now he thought about it, he wondered if he had the same reaction with Megatron that night right after he left to go recharge. It was… possible. Yes. It could have happened. He didn’t bother to check the recordings in the surveillance room that morning. As if he had time for that!  
  
He had to return immediately and check their conditions, after all the bad thoughts he had before finally offlining his optics! But if that really happened… Megatron managed to control himself as well. Maybe the red flier didn’t actually have the strength to pin the silver grounder on the wall and hiss at him, but in his current nervous state, it wouldn’t have been fear to stop him from even trying. Maybe he did try and simply didn’t manage because of his low energy levels. And if he did… their master let him vent without getting angry, without causing him any pain… without punishing him at all, because he saw no scratches or dents in his newly repaired frame.  
He focused again on Thundercracker, who was now looking back at the two mechs, focusing mostly on his leader, then looking quickly at him as if he was waiting for the doctor to say something else.   
  
Hook spoke again finally, directing his words at the blue seeker, «Alright… your leg is healing faster than I expected, but I can’t replace it yet. I know how you seekers need to move around, fly…» he approached him and continued «But you understand I can’t let you fly now.» he then caressed the silver wings with his thumb. He was a strong flier and his armor, despite looking so similar to his mates’ one, was way more resistant and thick. It healed faster than many other seekers, since the whole frame seemed to absorb the hits, though he had noticed Thundercracker did avoid taking too much damage in a certain spot. That weakened him considerably, but that thick armor allowed those parts to not break completely after they had been hit. In this case the wings.  
He shook the helm quickly and kept talking «I am going to let you have a walk outside, in the corridor…» he saw the silver appendages trembling lightly, poor flier was probably dying of boredom having to lay still in a closed place for all that time. «I’ll call Skywarp—» and he didn’t even finish his sentence when a happy purr came from both the seekers.  
  
It wasn’t weird they both got excited as they heard he was about to get there. «I was saying… I’ll call him and let you take a walk out here» he pointed quickly at the door «but only after Scrapper comes back. I’ll need to work on your new limb» he said, now looking at Starscream and shrugged quickly «I want one of them to stay here and check on you while I work in my study. It’s going to be a very long and delicate job and I don’t need to be distracted». But both the fliers didn’t see waiting a bit more as a problem at all.  
  
  
The purple jet instead, still knew nothing about this. Hook knew him well… just saying he would have been called to see his mates would have had him appearing in the med bay immediately. He wasn’t patient at all.   
It’d been less than two joors since him and those two cassettes left to look for Laserbeak, and he was already starting to lose his patience.  
  
Rumble said he couldn’t believe the Autobots got her and suggested to search inside the base. Yes, that was the most logical thought, since both the twins and Soundwave assured him the rainmakers had very bad intentions towards them.  
  
The Communication Officer never told them exactly what he found in their minds… which was quite scary, since he simply said he wanted to avoid to make them worry for no reason. Which only meant he saw something very dark and disturbing in their processors. Something his little assistants didn’t need to know about, if they wanted to recharge at night.  
  
The three walked over to Starscream’s laboratory: it was closed now and no one was allowed to walk in… It could have been a proper place to keep the cassette… or in the worse case, her gray frame. His trine leader always hated having Soundwave observing him and trying to understand if he has been creating something dangerous to hurt their leader with, so he made sure to keep the cameras pointing in certain directions where they left some blind spots… and he always went to work there.  
  
The Spymaster didn’t fix them yet since the last time Starscream messed with them, so it could be possible they took advantage of the angles. It wasn’t even a secret, everyone knew about that by now.  
  
The coding that kept the laboratory closed wasn’t a real problem neither. He knew there were a couple of fliers quite expert at hacking door security systems… like Bitstream for example. He was very good with this kind of things and it wouldn’t have been hard for his trine to cover him, the seekers used to work in the control room as well and they could have deleted the recordings when Soundwave was recharging… they must have understood he kept all his little cassettes with himself and with no one spying on them, they could do what they wanted.  
  
Now Skywarp didn’t need to hack anything, because first of all he could teleport and in case he didn’t have enough energy for that, Starscream allowed him to have the code to get in. At first he really didn’t like this, worried to have him around annoying him with his stupid pranks… yeah yeah.  
  
Luckily Thundercracker made him understand that if he would have needed some help because of an experiment that went bad, they had to know how to get in to take him out! Megatron also had the code, so it was logical enough to make him reason and give the code to his mates.

Unluckily, they found nothing in there. Nothing at all.  
  
«This place could use some cleaning!» Frenzy huffed, scratching a sticky blue substance from the desk «Since when did he stop coming in here?» he asked, now trying to get that stuff off of the other servo he used to clean himself with.  
  
Rumble was so determined he even tried to open all the small drawers to see if the rainmakers thought about breaking Laserbeak in small pieces and hiding them around there.  
  
Skywarp closed another box and sighed when he opened a second, this one like the other contained many bottles of chemicals, sealed closed in a very dark glass container. He seriously had no idea why their containers were different, Starscream told him once but he couldn’t remember. He wondered if the blue cassette would have decided to open every bottle and look in there as well. He couldn’t even describe how terrible he felt for them. They were even considering the possibility to find her already offline and cut into pieces… This whole situation was weird and… unusual.  
  
He never thought he would have felt sorry for those two incompetent and annoying geeks! Not after all the pranks they did to him, all those times they smashed his face into the cube he was going to drink, stole his guns, painted him with ridiculous colors… now they suddenly… they stopped playing around and turned so serious and worried.  
«Well? I take it he doesn't get here a lot?!» Frenzy asked again, now climbing up on a shelf and moving some other containers to look inside each of them.  
  
The purple seeker pushed away the last box full of dark bottles «No. Megatron doesn't want him in here anymore. Didn’t Soundwave tell you?» he stood up and opened a closet. If he saw another damn bottle he would have thrown it on the floor. He was starting to lose his patience. But Starscream wouldn’t have appreciated that… he focused on anything that didn’t involve a bottle, the floor and unknown liquid splashing everywhere. «Uh…» he looked away from the glass containers for a cycle, then started to move them away.  
  
«Why? Tell what?» Rumble approached him, climbed up his back and jumped over the closet, opening another box on top of it. The frustrated hiss only made Skywarp assume he found nothing but more chemicals in there.  
«You know… Megatron told him not to hide in the laboratory anymore a few deca-cycles ago. He literally threw him out. I thought Soundwave knew about it.» he stepped away and decided to sit down for a while, leaning his helm for a moment against the wall, red optics following the blue cassette that jumped down and looked over at him as well «He doesn’t tell us literally everything!»

and his brother jumped down too. «Yeah, though there’s nothing at all here! We’ve been looking for her everywhere! It’s been … what now? Two joors or something?» he crossed the arms and growled «We’re loosing time!».  
  
Yes. Yes they were. The jet sighed and drooped his wings low for a nanoklik «We should look in the seekers’ shared quarters next. I’m quite sure they think you two won’t ever be brave enough to get in there alone».  
The seeker found a very angry looking small blue spy climbing on his knees «What? Not brave enough?!» he hissed, but gasped when the other swatted him off and crossed his legs together, changing his position immediately «Listen up you midget! It’s exactly how I said! They want to cut you into pieces and what do you think will stop them from doing just that as soon as they get in there alone? Didn’t they already try to attract you in there?».  
  
Frenzy helped his brother stand up «Well if she’s there, we gotta get in anyway!» but his voice was shaky, almost glitching at the last part of his sentence.  
  
They weren’t stupid and could tell this could be a trap. They could be waiting for them to get there and capture them later. This was so complicated Skywarp grabbed the sides of his helm and whimpered, as if his processor suddenly started to burn. He wasn’t an idiot... okay, but even reasoning so damn much made him get so nervous! He wanted to find her quickly without having to try and figure what the Rainmakers were thinking.  
  
«Who even asked them to do something…» Skywarp grumbled nervously, then his wings twitched and he repeated with a louder tone «Yeah! Who even asked them to do something about this??» he kicked the wall and scratched the side of his helm with a servo, while the other quickly grabbed the blue cassette that he just made trip a second time when he moved the leg. «If they’d mind their own…!» he stood up, holding Rumble by the arm as he started to kick, probably wanting to be put back down again and not held like a toy or a dumb drone  
  
«Also would ya stop screaming?!» he hissed at the purple seeker as he managed to make him let go «Those fuckers are probably in the control room again, they’ll hear!» he added, but Skywarp only shrugged  
  
«Ah whatever. They can’t hear. Starscream screwed up the microphones too. No idea why, I didn’t think he’d talk with himself in here but apparently he does.». And he didn’t bother to ask what that human term meant, since it was probably a insult «Anyway If we’d want to get in there… I’d need an excuse to do it. I may be a seeker, but they won’t like it I simply walked in to go get Laserbeak. If I know Acid well, he’d get too aggressive towards Sounder. I don’t want that». He seriously didn’t want Soundwave to get hurt. He didn’t deserve any of this.  
Then he looked down and found the two twins staring up at him with their usual expression... as if they were about to prank him again. It wasn’t the moment now! Laserbeak disappeared and they really still wanted to play idiotic games—?

«Ya really are worried ‘bout the boss, aren’t ya fly-bot?» Frenzy grinned and looked quickly at the brother who imitated his expression and then focused on the taller mech again  
  
«It’s kinda odd, ya know? Since ya never cared ‘bout him before» he crossed his arms and added «Is this some kinda way to hit on him? Helping him and all?».  
  
The seeker felt his wings twitching in irritation «Ngh… again with this stupid human talk… » he murmured mostly to himself. They were being stupid again, did they really think it was the right moment now? And what did they even mean with that? What the frag did that stuff even mean? Why couldn’t they talk like normal mechs…?  
«I don’t want to hit anyone, you two. What are you even talking about... now you’re suspicious of me?!» goddamn it. If they really meant that he would have kicked those two in the denta! What else did he need to do to make them understand he wasn’t into ruining Soundwave’s existence like the others?   
  
The small red spy chuckled «We mean, ya want to bang him or something?»  
  
Skywarp growled and stomped a pede on the floor «Would you talk normally, Rumble?! Being the same size of a fleshing makes you get too attached to their stupid language or something??» He hated them when they did these stupid games.  
  
The two huffed nervously as he used the wrong name again, but giggled right after, probably liking too much to have him all confused. The actual Rumble leaned on the wall «Yeah, bang him, do him… ‘face him, how’d ya say that?».  
What the actual…? What?! The purple jet remained quiet and stared at the two small Decepticons in front of him «…tell me you mean “stand up to him” and not what I actually understood.» Were they being serious?  
  
Frenzy shook the helm «Nah. Surprisingly, ya got what he meant-»   
They really meant to talk about this?!  
  
«What?!» He screamed, feeling his energon boiling into his lines and feeling his pale face plates turning warmer all of the sudden «Are you two glitched or something?! As if we’d have time for this!» he looked away. Damn it, did they do it on purpose being so stupid in these situations? «It’s two solar cycles I’m nice to him and you come to conclusions—»   
  
The red cassette already climbed up on his shoulder, sitting there «Ya kinda… did a thing.» and his twin nodded, still on the floor  
  
«Yeah, kinda… intimate, yes?» and.. now there we go, he climbed up on the opposite shoulder too.  
Since when did he become so comfortable for these two??  
  
«You kinda knelt in front of him as if he was… I don’t know, your master or something!».  
  
Oh that.  
  
They didn’t understand what it meant, did they? The flier stretched his wings and pulled the two off of him «It’s… a seeker thing.» he sighed and shrugged lightly «He was suspicious in that moment. And he looked very angry» he added right after  
  
The two nodded again «Angry?» said Rumble «He was furious! Not just angry».  
«Well, what I did is something we do when we… don’t want to represent a threat. He needed to see I didn’t want to do anything stupid in that moment» he started to explain, not even sure if he ever did explain something like that to someone else… Seekers all knew what that meant! This was probably the first time he ever told someone what was the purpose of that action… not that he ever did that often. Probably only a couple of times in his whole existence. Starscream never did from what he knew.  
  
«So... kneeling down, servos behind the back, not looking at the other to dodge any attack and allowing to let him touch my wings means I surrender and that he could do whatever he wanted to them, rip them off, scratch them, just touch them… I don’t know! Paint them…! Literally whatever he wanted!».  
  
They both seemed quite interested but Frenzy talked first «But.. wouldn’t that be you testing if you can trust him? IF he disintegrated you wings it meant you couldn’t trust him—».  
  
Well true, but they were forgetting something «Hm. Yes, but for us doing that is extremely difficult. We get very nervous and we also get ready to feel pain, ready to lose our beautiful wings» he fluttered his a couple of times then continued «we could be the best liar and manipulator in the existence, but in that situation we can’t keep our thoughts for ourselves and we all stop reasoning! If we’re hiding something, we won’t manage to keep it hidden in that situation.» he then crossed his arms over the cockpit  
  
«Now, seekers read body language to understand if someone’s lying in these cases. While Soundwave’s a telepath. Do you think he wouldn’t have detected a lie when I said he could trust me?». There were a few cycles of silence, then the flier talked again «Now… can we look for Laserbeak somewhere else? We’re losing time with stupid things.» honestly he didn’t want to focus on the topic “interface with Soundwave” and he knew these two would only bring it up again later!  
  
  
«Doc-Doc-Doc! Doctor!» Mixmaster’s voice made the medic stand up immediately from the desk. They were back. Finally. Finally they were back with him!  
  
He jumped at his constructicon mate and quickly pushed his face plates against the chemist’s neck cables, brushing them softly with his lips. The other blinked, not expecting such a reaction at first, but immediately smiled and caressed the other’s throat with a digit.  
  
Behind him, Bonecrusher walked up and stared at the two, tilting the helm to the side. Hook seemed very happy to see them. Way too happy. He never stopped working on something to jump at them like that. He looked at the two seekers sitting next to each other on a berth then focused back on the medic   
«Uh. Scarpper isn’t back yet.» he hated ruining his companions’ mood, really. But someone should have told him not to expect Scrapper to walk in now. He was busy.  
  
«What happened?» the crane moved close to him and nuzzled his throat as well, now slightly worried about this statement. However, he knew there was nothing to worry about, since they were both calm and through the bond he could feel that even the rest of his gestalt were fine.  
«He sent us back and he kept Scavenger and Long Haul in the cave with him.» the bulldozer explained, running his digits on the medic’s shoulders, stroking softly on the seams and then running the strong servos down the arms and grabbing gently onto his wrists  
  
«He would have wanted me to stay with him too…» and the scientist moved closer, caressing gently on the medic’s back «Right, right, right. But after the wave of anxiety you sent through the bond, he wanted someone who’d be able to protect you to be here».  
  
Wave of… anxiety. Yes. That night he felt terrible and he should have expected them to notice something was wrong. They would have wanted to know and he had no intention to keep anything hidden from them. But not now, no. It was getting late and he could tell the two seekers wanted to see their mate, he promised them he would have called Skywarp as soon as his constructicon companions returned. Also, talking now about a problem in the medical energon would have made them panic. Starscream was already nervous enough to worry about something he wasn’t even too sure about. But, first things first. He pushed himself away from his two mates and walked over to the desk  
  
«I’ll tell you about my problems later. When we get to our quarters and not in here. My problems aren’t my patients’ problems» he sighed and stared at the glowing purple liquid he’s been examining since that morning. «Then you can tell me what's going on in the cave!» he scratched his chin then shrugged, looking at Thundercracker «Now Bonecrusher, Mixmaster… I’ll need your help in here»  
  
The two nodded. «Just tell us what we gotta do!» the bulldozer stretched and moved next to him.   
  
Let’s begin with the most important thing.  
«Listen, Mixmaster. I need you to examine this. Tell me if it contains something weird- No, tell me exactly what you find in this sample.» Hook handed him a vial containing the medical energon he gave to the two jets the other night.  
  
He’d done hundreds of tests on it, but he still wasn’t sure about the results. While his companion was a scientist, specialized on corrosive substances and was a bit more of expert than him. The two felt that familiar feeling of nervousness as he talked about the substance, and they both understood this was probably the main reason of his weird behavior.  
  
The chemist moved closer and rubbed his lips on the other’s cheek and nuzzled him «I’ll get to work Immediately, medi-medi-medic. Immediately, yes.» and with that, he walked out, heading to his room in their quarters. His room was practically a small laboratory and rarely used the berth as a berth… most of the time it was just another desk for his experiments. If he wanted to sleep, he stayed almost always in the larger berth with the others in their living quarters.  
  
«Now, Bonecrusher… I should go in my office to build his limb» he quickly bent the helm towards Starscream «I’ll also call Skywarp. He’ll take Thundercraker out in the hallway to walk a little, so please make sure he doesn't get hurt with that tube injecting energon in his side as he gets up.» He paused for a brief moment, making sure the other understood before continuing «Once they're gone I need you to stay here and keep an eye on the commander. If he feels bad, if the tube of energon gets stuck or starts to inject energon too fast, you call me immediately. Don’t stop it, call me!» he pointed at the console. If something weird happened, it would have been reported on there. It wasn’t the first time he worked in the med bay to help him, but Hook was an artist… everything had to be perfect and didn’t want to risk something going wrong because of something he forgot to say.  
  
The other constructicon looked at Thundercracker. He was smiling and that was the most excited he has ever seen the usually stoic jet. He was always so serious, his voice so flat and deep, almost sounding like the medic sometimes. As soon as the little office’s door closed behind the crane, a purple glow and that typical sound made the bulldozer understand the teleporter already received the message and didn’t waste a nanoklik before warping himself in there.  
  
«TC!! Screamer!» Yes he expected to hear him yelling and jumping at the two. What he didn’t expect was to see the cassettes twins appearing there and Buzzsaw flaying around the room. Had those three been pranking Skywarp when he teleported? Possible. The two remained there and just went to sit on the floor, then looked up at him «Hey!» they had on their face plates that usual sly grin.  
«Hey.» Bonecrusher greeted back, not really caring if they were there.  
  
«How’s your brother?» Frenzy asked him.  
What was with the question? Why would he even care? «Gravedigger’s fine. He’s on Cybertron. Still functioning.»  
Rumble stretched «You two and your edgy names-».  
  
Ugh, whatever they meant with edgy. It was probably a human talk.  
Yeah, he didn’t mind to have them around despite the fact they could really get annoying. As long as they didn’t break anything it was fine. But even those two childish cassettes weren't stupid enough to cause some real damage in the med bay. Maybe in Mixmaster’s lab… yes, but not in here.  
  
Hook was the only medic they had and it really wasn’t a good idea to make him lose supplies and breaking his instruments. Especially because there was always the risk he would have remembered about it during their checking routine. Nobody liked to tease him too much for obvious reasons. Megatron wouldn’t have punished him. They needed him too much to hurt him.


	10. Collapse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta Killuascreamer
> 
>  
> 
> WARNING: This chapters contains graphic description of vomit. If you're not comfortable reading anything that involves this, don't read. If you still want to, you have been warned.  
> __
> 
> Units of time:
> 
>  
> 
> 1 Nanoklik - 1 second
> 
> 1 Cycle - 1 minute and 30 seconds
> 
> 1 Joor - 1 hour
> 
> 1 Solar Cycle - 1 day
> 
> 1 Deca Cycle - 10 days
> 
> 1 Stellar Cyle - 1 year
> 
> 1 Vorn - 80 years

The purple jet was too busy to listen to the construction at the moment, wings fluttering and servos massaging on his mates’ appendages, careful strokes on Thundercracker’s ones and way more affectionate on his leader’s. The three remained very quiet, the louder noises were produced by the purring of their engines and the sound of metal rubbing together when the other two pulled the dark flier on the berth with them.  
  
Starscream wrapped both the arms around his shoulders, pulling him against his cockpit, while the other remained in front of him to stroke the black ailerons that the red jet left untouched.  
  
Bonecrusher saw the dark lips of the trine leader moving lightly and brushing against his mate’s audio receptor. They weren’t completely silent as he thought. They were talking in their native dialect, whispering to each other.  
At this point the green mech quickly looked away. He wasn’t supposed to look at them like that. Maybe they didn’t see a problem behaving like this with others there, but he didn’t intend to stare at them! It even made him feel so weird seeing that screeching seeker and his mates being so soft and intimate, so… quiet! It wasn’t anything perverted, of course! It was tender and… and actually cute. And it still made him feel so weird he found himself staring at the flying spy that was there still looking for a place where he could land. Yeah… suddenly he became much more interested into looking at the yellow cassette.   
  
Even the twins suddenly came to the same conclusion. They stared for a bit, but then probably shared his same emotions towards that scene and focused on something else.  
Only after almost half a joor the teleporter jumped off and helped his blue mate to stand up «So… so Hook wants you to have a little walk, TC?» he asked, looking down at the silver prosthetic replacing his leg «Can you even… feel it?» he asked, tempted to poke it but not really curious to see if he would have fell down because of that.  
  
«No» the other shook the helm «I feel literally nothing from under the knee. It feels like I just a have a shorter leg».  
Bonecrusher walked over to them and closed the tube that injected energon in his frame, then took it off. If he had to walk around, it would have been better removing it now and carefully instead of risking to have it ripped off in an accident. «Don’t close this» he tapped gently on the open panel on his side «keep it open but don’t touch it.» then moved away, looking at the red seeker who immediately went to touch his tube. Of course.  
  
«Can’t I take mine off too? It’s uncomfortable.» he complained, but did nothing to remove it. Luckily.   
  
«No you can’t. You lost so much energon you’ve no idea. I was there when… when you were leaking! Twice.» the bulldozer bit his glossa. Reminding that day to the commander wasn’t probably the best idea… reminding him he got beaten up and had his face plates literally reduced into pieces on a rock wall and having the wrist stabbed with a hook right before he tried to kill himself. But luckily he didn’t seem to mind.  
  
«I lost an arm! Thundercracker got his wings removed and he doesn’t have half leg at the moment!». A deep voice caught their attention again «His prosthetic doesn’t have energon lines, yours does.».  
  
Apparently Hook heard Starscream and decided to check if he tried to pull out the tube. He stopped and grumbled nervously at the sight of the three cassettes. He didn’t want too many people in here! This was a med bay! Not a meeting room!  
  
«You.» he stared at the two red and blue spies, currently busy smiling up at him as if they were the most innocent mechs in the universe.  
  
«What’s up doc?» Frenzy giggled  
  
The crane rubbed the side of his helm with a digit «Oh for spark sake.» he huffed «Get out. My patients don’t need to have you two around.» He wanted them out of here and they decided to play the idiots.   
Even Skywarp couldn’t tell how those two here managed to play stupid games when the situation was pretty bad for them.  
  
«And who says that?» Rumble challenged with that annoying voice of his.  
  
«The doctor says it.» the constructicon quickly answered and the two almost squeaked  
  
«Doctor who?». Could they be more stupid than this?  
  
«Doctor Hook» he huffed «now, if we’re done with human culture doctor references… can you both get out??» he quickly added.  
  
The twins stopped laughing for a moment and looked at each other, surprised «Oh man! You’re getting the references?!»   
The red one gasped «How??»  
  
«Yeah uh, Warp.» the Air Commander crossed the arms and raised an optic ridge. He understood nothing of what those two meant and what was the joke supposed to be and had no interest on finding out, especially if it had something to do with humans. «Are you trying to steal Soundwave’s spies? You finally decided to be a recorder too?» he asked him, pointing at Buzzsaw, who suddenly decided that the purple flier’s helm was a comfortable place where he could land. Fact that only surprised both Starscream and Thundercracker even more.  
  
«They usually chase you to destroy your sanity or face» the blue jet said «The last I knew they don’t stay so calm around you and you don’t stay calm around them!».  
  
The dark seeker pointed at the spy on his helm «Oh this?» he giggled lightly «It’s nothing really it’s just a… » he stopped and looked at the door as he heard fast footsteps coming from there. Getting closer. Someone was running and had all the intentions to get inside «… uh… case-?» he only managed to say when Ravage ran in and jumped on his face. Claws digging lightly onto his shoulders and pushing his helm so quickly against his jaw that he almost felt like being punched in the face plates, but that purring made him understand he had no intention to hurt him. He was being just… a little too affectionate.  
  
«Just a case huh?» Starscream shook his helm when he saw the feline offlining the optics and rubbing the muzzle on his mate’s cheeks.  
  
«Hey! I don’t know! Maybe it’s because I have Buzzsaw’s smell on me now!» and honestly this time he didn’t know why the heck he decided to jump on him like that.  
  
«Ah, he’s just here to meet him» Rumble pointed at the yellow cassette «Soundwave apparently sent them on a mission together» he explained.   
  
Just a couple of cycles later, the bird cassette flapped the wings and grabbed the other in his claws in a soft but firm grip, and they both left the med bay.  
  
  
Thundercracker and Skywarp left the room after that, way more slowly and carefully of course and followed by the twins, they stood very close to the purple jet but didn’t bother to catch too much attention this time.  
  
The blue flier held his mate’s servo when he moved the damaged leg with difficulty, trying not to put too much weight on the prosthetic.  
  
«So… Starscream is…» the teleporter started and being immediately interrupted, the other anticipating his question  
  
«He’s blaming himself. He is sorry for what he did. He won’t do it again.» he sighed and shook the helm «He kept apologizing for ignoring the fact we would have ended alone, bond breaking… I mean, you heard him today. He didn’t say anything much different from when you weren’t with us».  
  
The dark jet saw Blitzwing walking down the hallway, he stopped and moved aside to let them pass. Weird. He never seemed much caring and he never honestly cared about the seekers. But he looked concerned. Well yeah. He knew literally nothing about Thundercracker's conditions and now he finally saw him, he was there dragging his pede on the floor and the wings laying low, paint missing. He let them pass and walked away, but it didn't seem just genuine concern.  
  
There seemed to be something else.  
A few seekers approached them, Nova Storm and Hotlink. These were their own kind, their brothers but useless to say Skywarp felt very uncomfortable having them around. So did the twins apparently because they both stared at the two new fliers, visors glowing angrily. Both trying to hold back from spitting insults at the rainmaker.  
  
It wouldn’t have been the wisest idea… since he seemed to be the most sadistic one in his trine. And he was the one who looked down at them with a cold smile, probably wishing to hurt them just with his own glance.  
  
«Thundercracker…» the engineer greeted him after resetting his vocalizer «You’re.. you’re okay?» he asked, sounding almost surprised to see him «And the… commander?»  
  
Skywarp answered for him «Screamer’s in the med bay and he needs to rest. I don’t think you can get in to see him. Scrapper’s bulldozer came back and is in there now. He'll probably kick out any mech Hook doesn't want in there-»  
  
The blue jet waited a moment then nodded «Anyways, Starscream is very tired. While I’m feeling a little better».  
  
The yellow flier shrugged «So I guess none of you could tell me what was in the vial Mixmaster was holding.»  
  
This question made them both tilt their helm in confusion. Skywarp didn’t see anything, he wasn’t there yet when it happened. But Thundercracker didn’t expect such a weird question… «No idea. A sample of medical energon maybe?».  
  
The dark seeker’s wings shuddered. What? A vial containing energon? Well what was wrong with it? Why was he feeling scared?! He wasn’t supposed to feel sacred! It was the fact Nova Storm made it seem important that he began to feel so nervous for nothing! What was wrong with that, seriously? Maybe it was a medicine Hook needed him to test before using it and now he really had no time for that so asked his constructicon mate to do it. Why was this… important?!  
«Understood.» Nova Storm nodded and turned around after adding «We hope your wings and your trine leader will heal quickly. We'll leave you alone now» and with that, both him and Hotlink left them.  
  
Skywarp huffed. Just what he needed, to get nervous for nothing-  
  
«Bastard yellow fragger» he heard one of the twins grumbling.  
  
«Hey» Thundercracker looked down at them «You hate all seekers in the universe or something, Frenzy?» he really had no idea why they needed to be so hostile towards him. Of course, he couldn’t know.  
  
The cassette shook he helm and grinned, while the brother quickly and looked up at him. «Huh?» he chuckled «Talking to me?» he asked.  
  
«No… I-» the blue flier looked at them both and the blue cassette continued «I’m Frenzy!»  
  
The seeker shook the helm quickly «wait… what?»   
  
Even Skywarp seemed pretty confused. They… what? «Wait!» he said, slowly pointing at the red cassette «This means that Rumble… is him!» he almost shouted. And… the apparently red Rumble tilted his helm  
  
«Uh, yes? I thought you figured out that we switched colors-».  
  
Well.. no. Apparently now Frenzy was blue. And Rumble was red. For today at least? «No... I was just being stupid».  
Thundercracker open his mouth to express how dumb this game was and how he would have started to call them just “Red” and “Blue”, but he was stopped when a familiar echoing voice called him  
  
«Thundercracker!!» and he turned his helm just in time to get almost blinded with a strong white flash.   
  
In any other occasion he would have got nervous. His optics felt like burning for a nanoklik. When he onlined them again, he saw the three Reflector transforming back in their separate mode and all three busy staring at a picture they immediately printed. «You look so stunning even with silver wings» they said all together and looking up at him in perfect sync.  
  
The blue seeker had no idea if they were even slightly concerned about his situation, but was quickly answered when all three approached him quickly. Viewfinder wrapped his arms around his waist and leaned his chin on the yellow glass of his cockpit, looking up at him with those small bright red optics… Spectro and Spyglass sneaked against his sides, grabbing onto his forearms, their tiny servos caressing lightly all the way to his wrists.  
  
«Thundercracker we were so worried» he heard Spectro… or Spyglass murmuring and carefully caressing his digits  
  
«You’re different now, but…» the other said, a digit moving extremely close to a wing but not touching it yet.  
  
«...You still look beautiful with a shade of silver!» Viewfinder quickly added, completing the whole sentence.  
His trine mate moved closer, grinning slyly «And they say it’s Starscream that one can get with flattery-» he purred, poking his cheek and making him gasp in surprise  
  
«E-eh?!» he looked at Skywarp and tried to keep a serious expression, but he was so embarrassed at the moment that he really couldn't keep his numb face anymore.  
  
Apparently even the two cassettes found this situation amusing «Oh, one partner isn’t enough for you?» Frenzy grinned  
  
«Too used to share a berth with two… why not taking even the third in?» Rumble added… right before moving away once the tall mech almost stomped on him «With “in” I meant in the berth!» he went to hide behind Skywarp’s leg and the brother imitated him before talking this time «Even if the size difference wouldn’t make it much difficult for you to take them all in- In the berth! In the berth, big boy. Because you’re big they’re small-».  
  
Reflector pouted but as soon as they focused on Thundercracker’s usually pale cheeks, this time shaded with a soft purple glow, they immediately transformed and took another couple of pictures «Look here Thunder!» they called him and then transformed back in their robot mode. Spectro… or Spyglass jumped up on Viewfinder’s shoulders and barely managed to wrap his digits around his blushing cheeks, smiling with such a satisfied smile…  
«Thunder, huh?» Skywarp poked his wing, which fluttered in embarrassment again «Well, at least you’re not using my nickname. TC is my stuff.» he moved down and poked Viewfinder’s face plates, making him trip and also causing the other fall down, promptly caught by the third Reflector «Understood?» the dark jet whispered «He still is our mate, remember that you crazy paparazzi».  
  
Viewfinder scratched the back of his helm and after a last glance at his favorite model, stepped closer to Skywarp  
  
«We-» he started  
  
«..Understood!» the other two quickly finished and both shrugged  
  
«We won’t steal your brother from you. Pictures are enough to have him with us» the three of them added in unison.  
  
Rumble hit his brother’s arm with the elbow and grinned. «Look at that, Skywarp. And then you tell us not to get suspicious when we ask about the b—» the red cassette didn’t have time to finish his sentence, as the purple seeker shoved him away with a servo  
  
«Quiet, Rumble! You don’t understand anything!» Skywarp then growled with jealousy when he spotted one of the three Reflector back on the shoulders of one of the other two and barely managing to draw a digit up his trine mate’s cockpit and caressing lightly on his chin.  
  
«You’re beautiful Thunder, Even with these amber optics and silver wings you look absolutely stunning» he purred, while the other on the floor… probably Spyglass, grabbed his servo gently in his own smaller ones and brushed his white lips on his digits  
  
«You’re such a pleasure for our optics, literally in any color».  
The teleporter was there, sitting on the floor with his arms crossed and grumbling. The two cassettes approached him again and stared at the big blue mech raising his wings and fluttering them, his face plates shaded in pink.  
  
«They really are fanbots in love…» Frenzy commented, then shook the helm quickly and looked at Skywarp «Are you sure they’re not your fans too?» he asked and the seeker looked down at him in confusion  
  
«What? No, why the-?»  
  
Rumble explained «Didn’t you hear what they said? They like him in any color, you two are practically identical!».  
  
«What?» the flier stood up again «What are you talking about? He’s bigger than me. And he’s got a way more resistant armor.» he approached his mate again and pointed at his shoulders, then down his sides «Can’t you see that?».  
Honestly… no.  
  
The twins stared at him as if he finally burnt his processor after a last teleportation that went wrong.   
  
But then the Reflector nodded all together «We see that too.» and the dark jet rolled the optics  
  
«Sure, I wonder why I’m not surprised you noticed.»  
  
He felt Thundercracker’s servo on his wing, stroking gently «Skywarp calm down. You know they’ve always been very good with me».  
  
The other shrugged and looked at the three smaller mechs again then huffed «Yes, yes fine whatever».  
  
  
Only after at least two joors of talking, walking around and always being careful not to mention anything about any “assassinations attempts” that had never been a thing, Skywarp helped his trine mate to return in the med bay.  
  
It was already late… he could guess that it was dark outside. Ravage and Buzzsaw were probably getting ready to infiltrate in the Autobots base and see if they could find Laserbeak in there. Well, he really doubted they would have found her there…  
It was so hard keeping those secrets with his mates honestly… but Starscream and Thundercracker were still weak and emotionally unstable, despite how much they tried to look calm. They weren’t calm at all, they were anxious. It wasn’t the right moment to come up with “Oh you know, All the seekers think Soundwave’s going to kill you Screamer. But don’t worry he’s not.” absolutely not. He didn’t have a good relationship with the Third in command. He would have ended up believing those Rainmakers were right.  
  
Also… he couldn’t always ask his trine to help him when they were obviously not in the conditions of even walking out in the corridor alone! What could they even do, seriously? Starscream wouldn’t have trusted Soundwave. He was sure about it… not now and not while he was so nervous.  
«Alright Thundercracker…» Bonecrusher helped him to sit back on the berth and reattached the tube to his side. The flow of energon was now very slow, drops of the glowing liquid sliding down and filling his systems constantly but calmly.   
  
In a couple of solar cycles they would have removed it. The bulldozer handed him a cube. It must have contained his medicine, because he took a while to finish it.  
Skywarp approached him again after he was done, rubbing his wings softly with his open palm, murmuring in their native language, telling him to keep an optic on Screamer. As well as reminding TC that not every mistake had to be all his fault every time. It was the truth after all.  
He then turned to look at the red jet, now hissing at constructicon and pushing the cube away. After a third attempt to convince the seeker to drink, Hook’s voice came form the office «Don’t force him, Bonecrusher. Leave it there on the table close to him, he'll drink it on his own». Eventually.  
  
Skywarp grinned and went to hug his leader, he told him not to blame himself so much, that he he didn’t care about what would have happened if he managed to kill himself, because it didn’t happen.  
  
He was there, he was alive and it wasn’t the right thing keep thinking about what could have happened.  
  
«I mean, Screamer. If I would have managed to replace my servos with wheels I’d be a flying car now, right? But that didn’t happen-» he tried to walk away then heard the other calling him again  
  
«Wait… what did you say Skywarp?».  
  
He moved over to the cassettes in the corner and pushed them with a pede «Come out—» he whispered   
  
«Skywarp when did that happen?!» and he ran out.  
«You idiot really tried to—» Rumble crossed his arms and looked up the taller mech  
  
«I was envious of triplechangers, okay? It was little test-». Alright back to serious busyness now, back to look for the missing cassette.  
  
He stopped smiling and so did the twins. They weren’t much different after all. They were good at faking emotions as well. He wondered how he got surprised with their behavior in the laboratory. It wouldn’t have taken a genius to understand that Soundwave was looking at them with the cameras. They were connected with him, so they must have known the Telepath had been watching them in that exact moment. It was obvious they wanted to let him see they were fine and not feeling so shattered inside… just like him.  
  
Around his mates he’s been acting dumb and childish as always… but now he was feeling so cold inside he had to start to wonder if his spark was still there. But with the open bond he could only hope they suspected his sad emotions were caused by this distance he had to keep from them and not for all this stress. Looking for a mech that could be found dead was a terrible thing.  
  
The problem was that after joors of looking though the whole base, except the seekers shared quarters and Megatron’s office, Laserbeak was still nowhere to be found!  
  
The last place they checked was his trine’s quarters. It could have been a good hiding place too, since they all knew he’s been recharging with Ramjet’s trine… but it was empty. Empty!  
  
It didn’t do Skywarp good to see it. It reminded him his trine was in the med bay and they weren’t exactly as fine as they might have wanted to make him believe. His feeling of anxiety only grew in his spark, the fear of really finding the broken pieces of the winged spy stuffed somewhere… he never wanted to believe that theory like the twins but after a whole solar cycle searching for the spy and failing to find her… Well.  
  
He even started to doubt his abilities. He was a seeker… and couldn’t seek properly! But… no! She must have been still alive. Kept somewhere very secret, unable to fly and communicate with her master and her companions.  
  
While walking out, he checked his crono and sighed «We should go to recharge.»  
  
The blue cassette shook the helm «Soundwave’s not inside our quarters… but told us to stay out. He found some stupid fly-bo—» he stopped and bit his glossa «... Some seeker thinking about breaking in. We’re not sure if it’s a trick but it’s not safe». stupid fliers…  
  
Skywarp growled lightly. Why would they fragging need to make this even more difficult?!  
  
He reset his vocalizer and murmured «Well... It’s getting pretty late anyway, I’m gonna have a hard time teleporting right if I get too tired…»  
  
The two twins saw the dark wings drooping low, his tired expression turning into a more pained one.   
  
Frenzy opened the mouth to speak again but stopped immediately when he saw the dark jet falling down on his knees and curling the arms around his face  
  
«Soundwave believed I would find Laserbeak…!» he hissed.  
  
The two quickly dragged him inside his quarters again «Shh! Shh! Skywarp!»  
  
Rumble jumped up to close the door, unable to lock it and seriously hoping no one would have tested if it could now. He then pulled on a purple forearm «Soundwave believed you didn’t want to hurt us-» he reminded him and the brother nodded  
«He will understand if you need more time, especially to find a way to get in the Seeker’s quarters».  
  
They remained quiet for a while then Rumble talked again «Listen, Soundwave says we’ll go tomorrow. In the morning they fly out right? It’s a lot you don’t do it too. I understand that okay. But they stretch wings, fly over the sea for a while…» he was glad to see the flier was focusing on him at least now «Someone will stay inside, you just tell them Starscream told you to look for a certain data pad that was once in his lab. And now he thinks it’s in there. Easy? It’s easy come on!»  
He grumbled and crossed the arms. «and you two?» he asked «You two will stay out and wait for someone to destroy you?» that was indeed a problem.   
  
But Soundwave thought about that too «No, no» Frenzy answered calmly «You’ll take us to Megatron’s quarters or… wherever he’ll be in that moment. We’ll report to him and you’ll look for her. Then you come back to take us away when you’re done».  
  
Soundwave really was a clever mech. He couldn't stop himself from wondering how could the bot keep clam and logical even in these moments… but he’s always been the one correcting every plan even without making Megatron know about it, he followed his orders and added some little changes at the same time even in desperate situations. That was definitively a gift!  
  
 «Yes… » he nodded «We’ll do that then» he stood up and ran a digit down his own wing. Oh how much he needed some comfort now. How much he needed to just get hugged tight… «I want to recharge now. I’ll go in Ramjet’s quarters, you come too-» he was about to open his comm link when the twins stopped him.  
  
«Wait wait wait!» Rumble poked his leg «We’re not sure they’ll appreciate our presence there.» and he was right... for once  
  
«Uhm… yes. Well… You can hide no? You’re two cassettes-» he knew this was a stupid thing to say, why did he say it?  
  
«Listen Skywarp, they’ll notice if you’d step in holding two giant red and blue cassettes.» Frenzy face palmed.  
  
Then the jet slid down again, sitting on the floor «Uhm… here» he placed a servo against his cockpit and it slowly shifted down «There’s not much space but—»  
  
The twins purred and transformed trying to fit in the small space «Let us try let us try!». Too bad his shape wasn’t even similar to Soundwave’s and he could barely take one of them inside!  
  
«S-stop! Stop!» he grabbed them and pulled them out «If you stay in that geometric shape you’ll never fit inside!» he grumbled «Robotic mode again you two».  
And this time they managed slide inside easily, not having so much space but enough for them to have a good recharge in a comfy position. And even able to look outside without bothering to be seen.   
  
«Sorry» The blue cassette giggled  
  
«force of habit» added Rumble.  
  
Well, yes whatever. «Alright I’ll tell Ramjet I'm gonna to head that way. You two stay inside and don’t touch the back-» he stopped and bit his lips, gasping and groaning. Why did he talk? Why did he always need to talk?  
  
«Why not?» one of the two giggled «Also where’s your spark? It’s like… in here with us and we don’t see it?».  
  
What kind of question was that? As if Soundwave’s spark was there behind the glass!  
  
«Oh sure, my very life is protected by a stupid, ridiculously fragile, breakable piece of yellow glass!» he huffed and immediately groaned again «Ah! Stop it! It’s there, don’t touch there» Idiots didn’t understand that alone? Well, at least they stopped now.  
He stepped out of their quarters and closed the door properly. They were done for the solar cycle and he seriously could use a long recharge before going back to action and find Laserbeak, probably hidden in the seekers quarters.   
He could tell the two twins tried to make him smile while being clumsy before and he honestly appreciated it. Because he really needed to smile a little. Too bad he could also feel something bad was about to happen. He just had a bad feeling, so many thoughts tormenting his processor as he desperately tried to focus on the important things, ignoring stupid ideas that made him feel suspicious. Suspicious and worried.  
Unluckily, on the way to reach Ramjet’s trine he did hear something else. Two seekers murmuring behind a corner in a Vosian dialect. Their words so simple to understand, and it was impossible not to hear them. And now they echoed in his processor  
  
 _“Mixmaster took that thing away from the med bay in such a hurry. Right after Motormaster told Hook he came to know someone tried to add something corrosive in Starscream’s medicine.”_  
 _“What if they’re trying to destroy the evidence? They could have already used it!”_  
 _“Maybe it has a slow corrosive effect! They were right, Megatron and his pet really want to get rid of him. I saw the twins walking out of the med bay too!”_  
 _“Skywarp’s so weak and tired… they’re using him, as we suspected!”._  
He wasn’t sure if his legs were still attached to the rest of his frame. They felt so light, it must have been a miracle he didn’t collapse. Instead, he backed away fast, wings low and trembling while his optics started to get filled with coolant. He didn’t need all this. He didn’t want to deal with any of this!  
  
Rumble and Frenzy probably tried to ask him what was wrong, but he quickly brought a servo up on his face, pressed it on the mouth and ran over the closest washing racks. With a kick he almost broke down the door and threw himself in the further shower box he could see, as if he just wanted to escape from something that had been chasing him and put as much distance he could from himself and them.  
  
The twins managed to push the yellow glass open to jump out and run to close the door, when they suddenly heard the jet purging. Not even they felt so anxious and desperate honestly. Probably because they still had each other… because deep inside they did believe Laserbeak was still alive. But whatever Skywarp heard those seekers say, it was nothing good.  
  
The blue cassette tried to move closer, observing the bigger mech struggling to keep his own weight on his palms and knees, gurgles and a the sound of a liquid being spit out mixed with gasps and sobs, then cough and repeat.  
  
He shook his helm and went close to the jet, grabbing the side of his helm and wiping away the tears with his smaller servo «Rumble!» he called and the brother was immediately there «Calm him down or something!» he said, loud enough to make him hear over those sounds.  
  
The purple flier almost seemed to be screaming every time dark oil and energon sprouted from his open mouth, coolant gushing out of his open wide optics and dripping on the floor, then he sobbed and coughed, the hot liquids burning his throat and making him almost gag causing the situation to get even worse.  
  
«And what do you want me to do?! Give him a cuddle and a kiss?!» the little red mech snapped.  
  
Frenzy hissed nervously and tried to think, then pointed at the jet’s ailerons «Starscream and Thundercracker touched him there… in a weird way.» and his brother quickly climbed up his back, reaching the trembling wings that lied low as the whole frame shook. He brought his digits in the middle of the plating and used the other servo to keep balance when the flier convulsed, the appendage sensing a stranger touch against it.  
  
Then, the cassette lied his palm down against the black metal and caressed slowly in a circling movement, as he saw the other two doing before. And that seemed to be working.  
  
Frenzy saw Skywarp’s tremors and twitches turning into light shivers and his open mouth stopped leaking oil mixed to energon. His optics weren’t focused on anything in particular and staring forward, the tears stopped as well and the last drops slid down his pale cheeks silently. The gasps also turned into deep intakes, way calmer than before.  
  
The cassette on the floor quickly ran to get a cloth, then soaked it in cold coolant and cleaned his stained face plates, optics, then the corners of his mouth and his chin. «What did they even say?» he asked after a couple of cycles and Skywarp shivered, offlining his optics again for a moment.  
  
«N-now even Motormaster needs to get into this stuff and bother me! He couldn’t mind his own!»  
Rumble didn’t stop the strokes and tilted the helm «What does Motormaster have to do with anything now?» he asked, confused  
  
«N-nothing! Exactly!» the jet snapped, coughing a little «Nothing at all! Apparently he said someone put something dangerous in Starscream’s medicine and now Mixmaster ran out of the room with a vial containing this stuff and…» he started to tear again «and now they say they want to hide evidence… W-why do they have to make me get so scared?? S-Starscream’s fine!» and began to sob again.  
  
His intake burning and making him cough and shiver. The blue cassette quickly cleaned his face plates once more and hissed nervously.  
  
Motormaster.  
  
Soundwave did good being suspicious of that idiot, king of asphalt. They both seemed to be ready to say something, but suddenly the purple seeker’s expression turned into a brighter one, quickly resetting his vocalizer and talked with an enthusiastic voice «Hey RJ!» he started «No- No. I am in the wash racks, I accidentally had an energon shower. Unless you want me to stain your berth- Yeah I’ll be there in a couple of cycles».  
  
The twins looked at each other. He was alone, his brothers weren’t there and they both shut the bond. How could he possibly have this ability of changing attitude as he wished to show a completely opposite emotion from what he was actually feeling?  
  
This was… scary. How often did he do this?  
  
Soundwave needed a mask to hide when he was feeling like breaking… like now. Skywarp simply smiled. He looked happy and carefree. Like always! As if nothing was hurting him.  
  
The twins felt kinda guilty at this point. How many times they did a stupid prank, that even if was simply a prank caused him to get hurt? Once they made a bucket of yellow paint fall on his helm. It didn’t fall completely on him as they expected, it hit him in the face hard and then poured half the liquid on the cheek and shoulder. He was leaking from a cut over the optic and they both saw it well, since they were in front of him! But that time they saw him laughing and smiling, saying their brilliant plan half failed. Maybe in that moment he would have wanted to cry… and in fact after that he walked away instead of chasing them!  
  
When the taller mech closed his comm link, the happy expression melted into a tired and desperate one in a nanoklik «Alright you two, back in here…» he opened his cockpit once again and sighed «Ramjet’s waiting.» the two climbed up and curled inside, comfortably laying close to each other.  
  
When all this was over, maybe they should have both considered the idea to prank him with less violent things… maybe something that wouldn’t have had him literally going crazy. Something a bit more innocent. Yes the both silently agreed to that.  
From behind the glass they saw Skywarp stepping inside the conehead's quarters. Their trine leader was walking around the room, stopped only when he saw him there and smiled lightly. Dirge and Thrust were already laying on the berth, the blue flier opening his arms and Skywarp jumped at him right after. His engines purred happily as the other’s servos caressed his wings, keeping him close in that warm hug. Then Thrust moved closer, snuggling his back.  
  
The cassettes were.. surprised. They could have never imagined these three violent fliers could be so.. soft.  
  
The dark seeker rubbed his face plates against Dirge’s cockpit, offlining the optics and wrapping his purple arms around his waist. He didn’t care about his powers and his threatening tone, this flier knew how to give someone comfort. And it was weird… he was known to be the darkest of the three, depressed too… and apparently it was his duty to make his mates feel better. Who would have known?  
After a while even Ramjet lied down, grabbed Skywarp and pulled him closer to himself, arms curled around his waist to prevent him from moving too much while recharging. His two mates snuggled closer, rubbing their face plates against the two big black wings.  
  
  
While in the med bay, someone decided he still had no intention to drink the medical energon. But as Hook told him, Bonecrusher didn’t insist. It sat there on the table.  
  
Starscream wasn’t frustrated at the moment. Quite the opposite actually. They’ve been talking a lot after he got tired of standing there and doing nothing. The constucticon's visor was glowing a soft red light not to bother the other’s probably very tired amber optics. He was sitting up, arms wrapped around his knees  
  
«So… the floor collapsed?» he asked, sounding genuinely curious and interested into the other’s story. He’d been talking to him about what they did in that cave and what exactly took them so long to finish their work…  
  
«Yes, Scavenger almost fell in.» the other nodded «We didn’t expect such a big empty space underneath, Hook wasn’t there. He’s usually the one doing these works, with his chain he doesn’t have trouble staying attached somewhere and find the holes» he explained and looked towards Hook’s office «Anyway. Scavenger didn’t get hurt.» his voice loud enough to make the other hear too.  
  
Starscream tilted his helm «Weird soil conformation caused by ancient body of water underneath?» he asked «Something like that that left caves underground?»  
  
«No it’s not like that.» the bulldozer crossed his arms «We thought it could have been that, but Scrapper’s quite used of seeing unnatural holes when he digs and he could immediately tell that cave was actually a mine.» Well.. that was sure interesting  
  
«A mine? Humans worked there?» The flier tilted his helm and the other nodded again  
  
«Worked indeed. We’ve found organic remains of these… miners» he huffed «They’re so fragile and it’s not weird they got scared after a collapse that left some killed».  
The red seeker’s wings twitched. Killed huh? «So this mine was abandoned after an incident and not because they couldn’t find any more resources, then?» he asked, just waiting for the other to confirm his thoughts.  
  
«Yes. We’ve found the mine contains a mineral called coal. It’s a precious mineral that generates energy when it gets burnt. There’s plenty of it in that cave, left there after it got abandoned».  
  
Well, this was definitively something good that happened to the Decepticon cause, he was told they really needed energy with a certain urgency last time he was… well. Working. And with working he meant not in a med bay.  
  
The door suddenly opened and the two mechs turned around at the same time. Bonecrusher quickly jumped on his pedes and bowed «Lord Megatron…» he greeted, then looked at the smaller mech on the berth. His expression changed immediately. He looked so nervous, his wings drooped low and the whole surface where he's been sitting began to rattle, his frame shivering.  
  
The grounder moved closer and glanced quickly at the office, without paying attention to the flier «Is Hook still in there?» he asked, crossing the arms as the answer walked out.  
  
«Sir… you wanted to talk to me?» the medic asked, bowing the helm respectfully.  
  
«Yes, you both go to recharge. I’ll stay here.» he simply ordered, now looking at the full purple cube on the table. This was a very familiar sight.  
  
The crane nodded and pulled out a very confused Bonecrusher out of the med bay «I’ll explain you everything, don’t worry» he promised before the door hissed closed behind them.  
  
The red flier looked up at his leader, so tense he could almost feel his pistons cracking. He was… back like the previous night. He was there again and had no idea if this time he had bad intentions now he saw he was feeling better. Even if just a bit.  
  
The silver grounder approached him and he almost felt the coolant gathering in the corners of his optics, already expecting to be hit. Now he was feeling better, he could have taken a hit without suffering too many consequences. He was angry with him, wasn’t he? After all he made them lose the battle… yes, he must have wanted to remind him that because of his idiotic idea to shoot at himself, they had to retreat. They… lost because of him! He couldn’t possibly spare him a punishment for that! He always punished him for even the most stupid things…! He…  
  
«Take this off.» he heard him say. Again. And found the black cannon close to him, ready to be removed from the arm that rested on his knees.  
  
Starscream looked at it carefully, then at his master’s optics and huffed «C-can’t you take it off by yourself?» he grumbled, then regretted that immediately.  
  
What was his problem today? He simply couldn't close his damn mouth when he knew there would have been a consequence for his idiotic words in certain moments. But he still couldn’t stop himself!  
  
Now he offlined the optics, waiting for a punch. But nothing came. Except for an answer «You don’t trust me. You take it off».  
Well… it wasn’t a lie. And once again, the weapon was on the floor, like the previous night. The silver mech looked at the cube again, then shrugged and moved a servo up to the other’s face plates, making him gasp and move the helm backwards. But the dark digits managed to grab his chin easily, caressing his dark cheek with the thumb.  
  
Starscream gulped down the air and once again tried to look away from the other. He wasn’t getting hurt… or maybe that old bucket was just playing? Tormenting him and making him believe he was safe… and then…break him into pieces as always.  
  
«Your optics.» he heard the other murmur and he focused immediately on him. His optics?  
  
«M-my… w-what’s with them?» he started to tremble again, a terrible feeling growing in his chassis. He didn’t want to break his optics, did he?  
«I wish to see again the flames of your boldness, the red blaze that burnt the unworthy you lied your gaze upon. My seeker, the weak and frail glow of a dying fire, buried under the ashes doesn’t belong to you.».  
He always had been good with words…  
  
The jet moved the gaze somewhere else quickly and realizing what his leader meant was that he wished he would have returned to the one he was before. And not simply that his optics returned to be red again. This was… incredible honestly! Was this old fool seriously regretting his actions? He wasn’t simply playing?!  
«Y-you… never cared about me!» he growled, baring his denta and hissing at him. Why did he suddenly realize that he maybe shouldn’t have been destroying him for stellar cycles? Why did he start to care?! Just because he tried shoot himself?  
  
«Y-you only care now that I almost died? Because your little toy almost broke?!» He immediately stood up and hissed at the pain the tube in his side caused him. He should have been a bit more careful, but he seriously had no time to look at it now!  
«Well I’ll tell you a thing! You already broke me before I even tried to do what I did!» and he began to sob again. Why the frag… Why did he need to cry in front of him? Why did he need to cry in front of this fragger? This…  
  
«I know.».  
  
He knew it, good!  
  
The flier growled and threw himself at the taller mech again «You’re trying to take me back on your side you… you…!» he scratched against his chassis, the strength in his arms was way more powerful this night, after the medicine did its job and he left more visible scratches in the silver paint. And quite deep too.  
  
«You torture me for stellar cycles! You blame me for everything! You tear away my wings, you beat me till I fall into stasis! You take everything from me!» every time he added something another scratch landed on Megatron’s chest plating. But he never moved. He remained still and observed the seeker in front of him that continued to yell and sob  
  
«You… you made me lose the only friend I’ve ever had! Did you think I would have lost him if I decided to betray YOU and the whole fragging cause and decided to join the Autobots and stay with him?! He would have remained with me… But I picked you! You old fragger! I picked you and you do what?! Nothing!» He spat.  
«Nothing changed! You kept blaming everything on me and hurting me for everything! I am disgusting after all, isn’t that true?! I disgust you! I chose you, I thought that if I could show that I was loyal again, giving up the only mech who ever cared about me… y-you… y-you would have... understood how much I sacrificed for the cause… For you! I-I attacked my only friend.» the scratches became stronger «I had no one else except for my trine. He… I looked for him on this whole planet for solar cycles… and I decided to stay with you… despite that. A-And what do I get?! I get to hear you saying I’m disgusting!».  
  
He would have fell down, but held himself up laying the servos against the other, then coughed. «I… chose you. And it didn’t matter to you.» he murmured tiredly «N-now… I almost die because of my own action, and I’m suddenly important to you?».  
  
Silence.  
  
No answer.  
  
The jet slowly moved the glance from the floor, up… and he gasped, when saw his servos laying on the grounder’s chest, deep scratches covered almost the whole plating, his digits dripping with purple energon.  
  
He… never managed to cause him so much damage. Never. He was dead. Of course he was dead! Oh Primus what did he do? He was too scared to see the hit coming and tears of coolant slid down his cheeks again  
  
«P-Primus!» he backed away immediately «S-sir…! I-I’m sorry! I-I…!» but no pain came. He yelled when felt two warm and powerful servos grabbing on his wrists, but nothing caused him pain, the grip was firm but not painful.  
  
He looked up into the other’s red optics, even if the idea of looking up at him made him feel like dying, his spark pulsing so fast inside of his chassis. But he saw nothing that could be described as rage, anger… no.  
  
It was regret. Pain, but not physical. It couldn’t be physical… he sure drew out some energon, but Megatron survived much worse without wincing. But this time it almost seemed like someone grabbed on his spark and squeezed it hard.  
«Starscream…» The grounder whispered, pulling him gently and leaning closer, slowly releasing his wrists and holding the servos softly, almost too gently the seeker thought, seeing how much his arms were shaking. «My seeker…» he murmured and brought them close to his helm, hiding his face plates behind them.  
  
«You were important for me. You are important for me, Starscream.» he said, voice almost cracking. «You’re perfect… You... You… Are the only one who is worthy of being my Second, leading the Decepticons with me.» he stopped and the flier gasped when he felt something cold staining the tip of his digits. It wasn’t energon… this was colder. «I was afraid of you, my seeker. I was afraid because of who you were… when I was nothing…» he clenched his denta and continued «Because of when you reminded me who you were… and who I was.»  
The flier did remember. It happened when he joined the cause… the… rebellion. This rebellion nobody seemed to consider a threat yet.  
  
His words…  
  
 _“Megatron, I assure you they won’t ignore us too much anymore. After all, even if you are nothing… I’m the Winglord._ ”  
Those words…caused this …  
  
«I was nothing, Starscream. You scared me.» he admitted, looking down at the smaller mech that was now immobile, optics open wide, tearing and mouth dropped open too, no sound coming out of it. Not a word… nothing.  
«I took everything from you, because I was sure you would have never let me become something. And as time passed by… I never stopped. Because of this fear of you turning the situation one more time. Because Starscream…» he sighed «You are better than me after all.»  
Again silence. The red seeker felt his processor almost melting from all these information, for all this time… this was… because of how he acted?  
  
Seekers… did this, they often showed their skills and abilities in front of the others proudly… Megatron, as a grounder… he couldn’t have known. He only knew how his kind considered themselves superior and better than those like him. Forged or constructed… like him. They were better.  
  
«Master…» his vision turned blurry and he fell forward, but didn’t hit the ground. He got caught in time «I’m… sorry.» he looked up to him «I’m… I’m not sure if I could be considered better… a-anymore.»   
  
Right. Why should he be better? Because of their frame? Because of their wings? Because of their skills?  
  
«I-I’m sorry master... I-I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…» he only managed to whisper, optics offlining and feeling a warmth curling up around him. He… never meant this apology like he did today. He’d been doing it every time he got punished… but never said it for real.  
  
This time… this time he repeated it so much, till everything that came out of his mouth was a flow of confused murmurs. He wanted to say it over and over again… to make this guilty feeling leave his spark alone and come out from his frame  with the form of those words.  
  
He had no right… to say he was better.  
  
He never had.  
  
  
    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was faster this time.
> 
> And nothing, my feelings hurt.
> 
> Also kind reminder this fic isn’t canon ever. I know real Starscream and Megatron wouldn’t act like this. But real Starscream and Megatron never had to deal with this situation. Like in most fics I’ve read, people do change the character a little so, I’m no longer afraid to do it too... as long as I don’t make Starscream kawii-desu-innocent-lovely-aw.
> 
>  
> 
> PS: And I finally corrected it. Yay! Primus, it was so much full of errors, you've no idea. I'm very very sorry today I only corrected this stuff, but I've been sick for 10 days. I felt like garbage and I couldn't stand up from bed, my eyes burnt I had high fever. Seriously guys if you know someone who could be my Beta please tell me, I take so much time correcting everything it's so boring you've no idea, especially because I don't see the errors


	11. Falling down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta Killuascreamer
> 
>  
> 
> Units of time:
> 
>  
> 
> 1 Nanoklik - 1 second
> 
> 1 Cycle - 1 minute and 30 seconds
> 
> 1 Joor - 1 hour
> 
> 1 Solar Cycle - 1 day
> 
> 1 Deca Cycle - 10 days
> 
> 1 Stellar Cyle - 1 year
> 
> 1 Vorn - 80 years

When Soundwave didn’t recharge well, which wasn’t very rare lately, all the cassettes could feel it. Especially since they were closed in his chest, except for the feeling of unease throughout their bond, they could also feel as his spark winced through the metal and wires, echoing in the empty space and usually woke them up every couple of cycles.  
  
Usually the telepath worked so hard and for so much time without taking breaks, that in the exact moment he lied the helm on his berth, or when he sat down at his desk, he fell into recharge after less than ten nanokliks. Understanding if he was still awake, had never been such a hard thing for them. They could always tell when their boss wasn’t feeling comfortable for any reason. May it be a job that got interrupted, a plan that went wrong, or something Megatron told him and that the telepath understood as a complaint even if it wasn’t meant as one. Even stress that left him unable to recharge properly, a pain in an injured limb or a little malfunction… They always woke up and got out to see if they could help him somehow. Except for the last time. After Soundwave locked them all inside his chest glass and refused to let them out.  
  
Luckily Skywarp arrived and made him see reason.  
Tonight insread there was just a one little problem. No well, three. Three little problems.  
  
First of all the little red and blue twins weren’t inside the Spymaster's chest. They were inside Skywarp’s cockpit. Both lying comfortably in the smaller space in their robotic mode, pressing their knees against the warm glass that kept them safe inside. It wasn’t as comfortable as their boss and it didn’t feel as safe, but they couldn’t complain much… it was warm, small and they could be close to each other without having someone suspecting a thing. Seriously, who would have thought they were hidden in there?!  
  
The second problem was that the one feeling bad wasn’t Soundwave but the seeker. He already has been feeling bad before going to recharge and despite that, the twins were now aware of how those wings could be used to help him relax, they both still had no idea how to calm him down while he seemed to be still resting.   
He just suddenly began to shiver and kick his legs, grumbling and gasping in his recharge, claws moving in a desperate research and grasping at the soft surface of the berth. His wings were vibrating uncontrollably and pressed down against his back, he growled something and seemed to be arguing with an invisible mech in a language they didn’t know, must have been Vosian dialect. And seriously, they had no idea what that flow words meant, but they could tell when someone seemed to be fighting with someone else.  
  
Third problem was they couldn’t get out so easily. At the moment they were in Ramjet’s quarters and it didn’t really seem the smartest idea pushing the glass open and appearing there next to the purple flier.   
  
They weren’t sure if even the coneheads had listened to the rainmakers and like them, they intended to ruin their boss’ existence… probably not. They always seemed very distant and minded their own, loyal to Megatron more than the Stunticons were, who had literally been built by the Decepticon Leader. Not to meantion Acid Storm was apparently loyal to Starscream… just all of the sudden and a bit too much.  
  
The Rainmakers had remained with Shockwave all this time on Cybertron, so much that the twins thought him and his trine got a bit more loyal to the cause instead of their former leader. But all this situation had him changing his mind really fast, almost too fast.  
  
Either way… Ramjet’s trine was known to be violent and they had no intention to appear in their berth like that. Even if poor Skywarp seemed to be in pain, not just uneasy or having some little problem recharging. He had to purge a few joors before because of all that stress and panic… and now they were afraid he would have suddenly done it again. Oh Primus that would have been disgusting!  
 _-No way, we’re not gonna get out!-_ Frenzy heard his brother through their personal comm link. Yes, the smartest way to communicate here, since the other three jets would have heard them if they talked. But that had the Spymaster, Ravage and Buzzsaw aware of what was happening.  
- _Get out where?-_ The feline grumbled, sounding so nervous and stressed they both could tell that at the moment he was in the Autobot’s base, exploring and trying to find Laserbeak.  
 _-Nothing Ravage…!-_ the blue cassette huffed _-Mind your own, don’t get distracted!-_  
 _-It's very hard not getting distracted when you use this frequency, Frenzy!-_ they heard him growl.  
  
Soundwave was still quiet, he didn’t speak and just listened to them all.  
  
 _-Just talk, no?-_ Buzzsaw sighed  
 _-We can’t!-_ Rumble snapped _-And Skywarp’s going to purge and-_  
There was sound of confusion between the comm link. The twins shrugged and waited to hear all the questions. But they only paid attention to Buzzsaw’s when he asked where were they.  
 _-Inside of Skywarp-_ Frenzy answered  
 _-Inside of Skywarp?!-_ Ravage repeated, more incredulous and trying to register what he just heard them say.  
 _-Yes! He’s recharging! We’re… in Ramjet’s quarters inside of Skywarp, who is in Ramjet’s quarters… and no one is noticing a damn thing, no one!-_ Rumble explained quickly, then went quiet when he noticed a movement from outside.  
  
  
Apparently, someone else did notice that the dark flier wasn’t feeling the best at the moment, and differently from them, this someone could do something and in fact he did.  
  
Dirge’s red optics onlined quickly, meaning he already had time to get out of his recharge and only now he looked at the seeker who’d been making all that mess in their berth. His golden wings twitched nervously and rubbed against his trine leader’s red ones, making him hiss softly and pulling him out of his already light recharge as well. The dark blue jet’s servos pushed on the berth to put himself into a sitting position, leaning his back against the wall behind them and quickly landing his firm digits on the smaller flier’s wings, the dark wings pressed down against their owner's back and shivering nervously.  
  
His touch didn’t manage to make him calm down, in fact those murmurs and twitches of the large appendages didn’t stop, not even when he began to caress the soft metal.  
  
«Ramjet..!» he called, giving his mate a stronger kick on the white plating of his legs and finally getting his complete attention.  
  
The bigger jet hissed a second time, baring his denta at the mech sitting at his right and at first tightening the grip around the purple seeker that struggled and shuddered. But then released him immediately and cursed in their native language once he noticed the drops of coolant trickling down from the pale face plates and falling against his cockpit.  
  
Thrust went to sit up as well right after hearing the curse, eyeing the dark jet and helping their leader to hold him still. Dirge, seeing the two struggling to even have enough space to work, huffed and stood up, leaving his part of berth to the other three and stood there next to them, observing how both tried anything to make the smaller seeker calm down. They whispered in their Vosian dialect, stroked softly on his wings, they didn’t try to hold still his limbs as he kept moving without control not to make him feel trapped.  
After a few nanokliks Skywarp woke up completely, pushing his face plates against Ramjet’s shoulder and hissing, having started to cry all of the sudden before he could even online his optics. The red flier stared at his leader and the small flier for a couple of cycles, observing how the white jet pulled the other close to himself and tried to make him relax. He then looked up at his trine mate in confusion. He was in deep recharge a moment before and all of the sudden nothing made sense. With that glance he desperately tried to get an explanation from his brother, but like him, even Dirge had been resting peacefully when Skywarp began to act so weirdly.  
  
«He was shaking and talking in his recharge, he was having trouble» was the only thing he heard from him. Which didn’t help at all! It didn’t explain anything.  
  
The white flier grumbled and wrapped his arms around the smaller mech softly, with a kick he pushed the soft blanket closer to himself and used it to wrap the shivering seeker in it, with a servo always massaging the middle of the black wings.  
  
«Skywarp-» he called, trying to catch his attention «What happened? What is it?» and he didn’t expect to receive an answer at all… even less that hysterical flow of words that left his vocalizer as soon as he heard that question.  
«Starscream’s not going to get killed!» he shouted a bit more clearly all of the sudden «Why can’t they all just leave him alone?! He’ll be fine and you all don’t understand a frag-nothing! Leave my leader alone!! Stupid Motormaster! Stupid everyone who doesn’t mind their own!».  
  
While Ramjet tried to calm him down again, the other two coneheads moved away from them. Dirge shook the helm, and went to sit at the desk and rested his face plates against a fist, then looked at his brother «Someone apparently scared him with that stuff in the end. He had to come to know sooner or later» he huffed, rolling the optics and Thrust crossed his arms nervously, having stood up too and now leaning against the wall closer to his mate  
  
«What? Come to know what? There’s nothing to know, those idiots should have remained quiet instead making up stories».  
  
The dark blue flier nodded, pressing his wings back and fluttering them nervously, looking quickly at the last two mechs on the berth «Indeed, look at him. Look! He’s terrified of the idea someone may try to go hurt Screamer-» he growled «When there’s nothing to worry about!».  
  
The two knew what was going on and knew what the Rainmakers forced everyone to believe. Idiots.  
  
Sure, they could be worried about Starscream. They’ve been away for so much time and could be suspicious of what happened on Earth while they’ve been forced to remain on Cybertron, sure. But all these conspiracy theories were the most stupid thing they could come up with!  
  
The red conehead lied a servo against his face plates and grumbled something about Acid Storm, probably a self reminder to go talk to him the day after, then looked at his brother who slowly nodded, agreeing with him. He then stood up and went close to him, rubbing his yellow wings softly against his gray ones, silently telling him to vent now if he wanted… after all, Skywarp was awake and there wasn’t the risk to wake him up again.  
Thrust followed his hint and snapped «No but seriously look!» he started, pointing at the shivering frame of the smaller seeker «It's that green glitch's fault! I told him yesterday. Didn’t I tell him, Dirge? Frag! I told him yesterday! He really does not listen, that green idiot!» he growled and punched the wall, making the vibration pass through the wall and echoing in the corridor outside.  
  
«I told him not to put around stupid voices! I told him Skywarp would have heard them too.» he then felt the other’s wings against his own a second time, softly rubbing against the edges to help him relax, but he just started to vent. «Look at him! How can one tell him not to worry about what is going to happen. If those idiot Rainmakers made everyone believe Starscream is in danger with their stupid words?!»  
  
He took a deep intake «How are we even gonna take him to a raid if we have to? Ramjet can’t lead him too. Look at him, he seems like an amoeba.» his voice lowered a bit more «Things could have gone differently, they would have healed and Skywarp wouldn’t have to panic for nothing!» he then looked towards the door, seemingly considering the idea to go into the seeker’s shared quarters and tell them all to be quiet from then till moment Starscream and Thundercracker would came out of the med bay.  
  
«And who said he needs to come do a raid?» Dirge murmured, rubbing his nose against Thrust’s cheek «If he doesn’t want to, we can’t forcefully drag him with us…». The red jet looked over at Ramjet, currently busy trying to make the other fall back in recharge, caressing his large wings  
  
«Sure and then we’d leave him here alone with those fraggers filling his processor with their stupid theories again?» he grumbled, turning his helm again to stare the door «As if they haven’t done enough damage». Dirge nodded quickly and pushed himself away from his brother, focusing instead on the purple jet, curled all close to their leader. No, they couldn’t even leave him alone with any other seeker in case they had to go away. Those idiots would have only had him panicking and probably causing him to reach the med bay too after overcharging him with anxiety and unable to cool down in time. If they had to leave, the only safe place for him would have been with the Constructicons, since it seemed like both the chemist and Bonecrusher had came back, but he wasn’t quite sure they knew how to handle a scared seeker honestly. Hook probably knew but he was a medic, he was busy. Or the other place where he could stay safe was… well, with Soundwave.  
  
Now, except for those voices that talked about those two having a very close relationship, the telepath was the only mech who would never scare Skywarp with stupid stories. And honestly Dirge wasn’t sure if the purple jet was into Plug and Play as many seemed to be so sure about. Especially while having both his mates closed in the med bay. As for Soundwave, that mech was probably more into working till he almost offlined himself and wasted no time in interfacing someone, but every nanoklik of his life had to be focused on working, then resting just the time necessary not to go completely crazy and then work again.  
  
Yes, those voices were probably nothing at all. Just like the rest of the scrap those rainmakers had been talking about. With a huff, he moved closer to the shivering seeker, making sure to talk now with a very low voice, doing his best to hide that scary tone of his «No one will hurt him. We’ve heard that Megatron is in the med bay.» he explained calmly.  
And that caught Skywarp’s attention immediately. Megatron? «W…what?» he murmured, looking up at the blue jet and then back at Ramjet, who nodded quickly  
  
«Yes, Megatron’s guarding your mates, not through the cameras. He’s there with them.» he stopped for a moment, pulling him closer to himself in a more comfortable position. «Now I understand you’re stressed…» he reset his vocalizer then raised an optic ridge «But if you name one single mech who’d be stupid enough to get in there to hurt them when Megatron is also in there, I guess you’ll have the right to be so scared.» he said.  
  
«Or… not» Thrust quickly added, moving closer again now he noticed the smaller jet stopped crying «Even if they exist they’d have their face plates stuffed into a big fusion cannon as soon as they try something-». The dark flier fluttered his wings in confusion and looked quickly at the three, then shook his helm  
  
«I thought… Megatron was…» he stopped when he saw Dirge sliding into the berth again, affectionately caressing the middle of his ailerons with the tips of his digits.  
  
«He is protecting your mates» Ramjet continued «Especially Starscream. He is making him drink his medicine, which no one has ever managed to make him do!» the simple knowledge that they knew about Starscream's problem with medication, quickly reassured the smaller jet  «The very medicine that doesn’t have problems. The very medication, that since he started to drink, his optics turned back orange instead of that tired yellow they were before. The medicine Hook says is safe and not the medicine with all the problems those idiots may have made you believe existed»  
  
Rumble and Frenzy, still hidden inside Skywarp’s cockpit weren’t surprised to hear the coneheads were already aware of everything. It was obvious they also knew about Acid Storm’s ideas… and there was a reason why their quarters were separated from the others. They didn’t seem to get along very well, even if the Rainmakers arrived just recently… and differently from them, they didn’t seem interested in hurting their boss!  
  
They were acting like all those voices were nothing. Ah good! Three seekers who didn’t want to kill Soundwave! This was the best thing they could discover at the moment! Rumble snuggled close to his brother, both communicating through their personal comm link again now that things seemed to be calmer, still reminding each other not to trust them completely. Sure, they didn’t seem to have any bad intention but they couldn’t be too sure just yet.  
  
Skywarp had to be around if they wanted to go interact with those three. At the moment their help didn’t seem necessary, they already managed to calm down the purple flier. In fact, Dirge shifted closer, grabbing onto the soft covers and pulled the smaller jet against himself.  
  
He began to caress his wings again, Ramjet from the other side keeping him still and half leaning against his shoulder. And soon, even the two cassettes felt him sliding back in recharge, his limbs stopped moving and those little whimpers stopped as well. They both seriously had no idea the coneheads could be so soft and kind with someone else. Especially Dirge! He was so scary, his voice was scary, his powers were based on making someone scared and unable to reason and fight back. While alone, apparently, he was the sweetest of the three. Or maybe he liked Skywarp… actually, all three seemed to be very protective with him.   
  
Skywarp was a cute little seeker compared to them, his colors were pretty cute too. Silver, black and purple. There was indeed the possibility they may have liked him. Hmm. Maybe just because he was a seeker like them… more precisely one of Starscream’s mates and they had to be kind with him… but it was weird anyway. These mechs acted in such a weird way!  
  
They talked in a weird language, they did weird things, they acted weird! But maybe being so affectionate was just a way they had to protect one of their kind from bad situations that could give them a strong shock. Maybe they weren’t interested in him…  
 _-You think?-_ Rumble murmured to the brother  
 _-Oh please, they wouldn’t stand a chance against the boss!-_  
 _-Guys.-_ Buzzsaw huffed  
 _-Especially since Skywarp’s already all over him-_ Frenzy added  
 _-Yes true. Soundwave’s unique. There’s no one else like him. And they got so much in common! He’s a super cool Outlier too-_  
 _-Guys be quiet!-_ Ravage growled  
 _-Guess sooner or later we’ll have to get out of the boss’ quarters to let them bang in peace-_  
 _-Rumble, Frenzy: inappropriate. Recharge now._ -Soundwave finally spoke through the comm link as well. His words were final.  
  
  
«Just wait for Scrapper to come back, Hook» Even in the Constructicons quarters, three green mechs weren’t recharging, and they didn't seem interested in doing so at the moment.  
  
Bonecrusher was nervous and had all the intentions to go pay a visit to the so called King of the Road to smash his face plates on the concrete. But both his mates convinced him to stay in the berth and leave the Stunticon leader alone.  
  
The bulldozer grumbled, crossing the arms angrily «That giant truck doesn’t know who he tried to threaten! Hook! Next time he gets sent to med bay, remind him why no-one messes with medics!»   
  
The doctor didn’t seem interested in causing even more trouble. «No.» he huffed, sitting up and rubbing his face plates against Mixmaster’s cheek «I’ll not do anything to cause them any damage.»   
  
The other growled «Why not?! He threatened you!» Bonecrusher moved closer «And they’re putting around idiotic ideas! Do you understand what it means having all those seekers against you? Scarpper is so going to break his olfactory system once he comes back!»   
  
The chemist tilted his helm «Scrapper is not gonna like what he made you go through. No. No. No, he’s not.».  
  
The crane huffed and shook his helm «Scrapper would do better not sprinting through the hallways to deliver a punch to anyone's helm when he comes back. I don’t want to be in the middle of these stupid things.» and before the two could complain, he quickly added «I’ll not damage any of his teammates of course. But...» he smiled lightly «...That doesn’t mean it won’t have to hurt when I'll fix him next time.»  
  
The scientist nodded quickly «Ah! I knew you weren’t gonna let them step on you-».  
«I don’t let anyone disrespect me. But I’d rather have someone here.» he reset his vocalizer «I was indeed scared at the time. He may have known that hurting me had consequences, but… sometimes he doesn’t seem to act with reason at all. And honestly getting hurt even once by that Stunticon…» he sighed  
  
The mixer snuggled closer to Hook «Yes, I understand. It could have hurt a lot, lot, lot.» he lied down and snuggled closer to the medic, wrapping an arm around his middle «But, now you need to stop worrying. I checked the medical energon. There’s nothing wrong with it. Nothing, nothing at all.» he then offlined his optics and his engines purred softly.  
  
Bonecrusher nodded «He’s right, stop worrying about these idiocies and rest.» he then wrapped his arms around Hook, who sighed and smiled softly, now getting all comfortable  
  
«Yes.» he agreed «After all, I’m almost done with Starscream’s arm. I can’t wait to reattach it. And maybe tomorrow I’ll re-paint him!»  
  
Ah yes, that thought had him relaxing again. The beautiful and rightfully colored Winglord would have returned shiny and perfect as he was always supposed to be. And if Megatron decided to keep acting a bit calmer with him, showing a bit more of respect for his Second… then maybe even his mental state would have returned stable.  
  
As he offlined his optics, he wondered what those two were even doing in the med bay.  
  
It was possible that the Air Commander needed to vent… and Megatron had to be the one to deal with one of the seekers panic attacks. Maybe he could manage to handle it, without losing his temper and getting angry. It seemed so weird, but it seemed Megatron had decided to really change for Starscream.   
  
Their leader let him fix the seeker completely! He even stayed up all night to guard him… he even managed to make him drink his medicine! Maybe things really had become calm between them.   
  
Maybe.  
  
The only thing any mech could do was hope. Hope this faction slowly turned less crazy like a mine field, where diffetent groupd couldn’t trust each other.  
  
Tsk. Those Autobots had the ability to stay together without suspecting a thing of one another… they were always in perfect harmony. And he envied that. Maybe even Megatron did.   
  
Maybe.  
  
  
When Mixmaster woke up again, he moved carefully to slide off the berth. He stretched and turned around to look at his other two mates, still resting peacefully both curled up and close to each other. It would have been a pity to wake them up. He checked his crono and grumbled. It was getting a bit late and somebody had to get in the med bay to check on the two fliers.  
  
Hook had to rest. He didn’t intend to wake him up to make him go there. That would have been his job for the day. After all he was a scientist! He knew how to handle them. Okay maybe he didn’t have all that medical knowledge like his mate… but he still knew something! And he knew the crane was tired, he worked till late and needed to recharge a bit more. He nuzzled the medic’s cheek for a moment, then moved away, stretched a second time and began to walk down the hallway to reach the two jets who, hopefully, were still recharging like his mates.  
Yes. He found them there lying on their berth, both recharging calmly and guarded by Megatron who was there sitting on the table close to his Air Commander.  
  
«My lord..!» the scientist whispered, bowing the helm and approaching the grounder once he spotted all the scratches on his chassis «Do I have to call, Hook?» he asked «What has happened here—» but he was interrupted by the bigger mech who simply raised a dark servo and shook his helm  
  
«I’m fine.» he grumbled, focusing on the small jet. «He needed to vent.» He explained and observed the empty cube on the table next to him «He took his medicine in the end» he explained and walked to the exit «I’m fine. You take care of him, not of me.»  
The mixer could only nod, then went to sit close to Starscream, being careful not to wake him up. If Starscream managed to do all that to Megatron, leaving all those scratches and still looked pretty fine… it meant their leader really let him vent like he wanted and didn’t lose his temper. He shrugged and stood there, waiting for the two to wake up.  
  
  
Megatron walked down the hallway, heading to his personal quarters. Was what he was doing really enough? Guarding the seeker, making sure he recharged and had his medicine? Being honest with him, like a leader should have always been with his first lieutenant… was that actually enough? It didn’t seem enough.  
  
Soundwave told him to go help him. But maybe Starscream simply couldn’t be helped? Especially not by him. The warlord pushed himself inside of the large room, waiting for the door to hiss closed and leaning against it right after.  
  
In the last two solar cycles he has seen his seeker crying for the very first time. He saw him broken and wished more than anything to see him beautiful and powerful like he was the first time he met him.  
  
The proud Winglord of Vos!  
  
That magnificent seeker he ruined with stellar cycles of abuse. With a sigh the silver grounder moved over to the desk and went to sit down, unable to lay down and rest. He had no intention to rest now. How could he? His Starscream was broken… even if he seemed to be gaining his strength again he was… wait a moment.  
  
“His Starscream”? Since when did he start to consider him… his? Probably from the beginning, yes. After all, that was what he was. His seeker. His first lieutenant. His soldier. But this time that didn’t sound as possessive. Megatron offlined the optics for a moment. He thought about what he really meant with this possessive behavior of his. This sudden realization. The seeker… he has always been his. Since the day he swore loyalty to him and promised to submit to his only master.  
  
That day… what were his feelings for the Winglord? Had it been desire of a powerful seeker and his army?  
He focused more on this. His thoughts the day the red tetrajet bowed before him, his real emotions in that moment. It was more than fascination… it was way more than simple desire for an army of fliers. He did feel admiration for him… but when he saw the young flier in the sky, elegant and beautiful, cutting through the wind like a blade… he grew afraid of the feelings he began to have for him. He remembered how he pushed those feelings away. He drowned them in energon. He killed one true feeling that would have had him attached to the flier. He was too afraid to deal with such a strong emotion like love… true and powerful love.  
  
He turned that feeling into hate. He pushed Starscream to hate him with his insults and abuse. Just because a destructive emotion like hate could be easier to control… and it hurt less.  
  
Love would have pushed to break him in case he got betrayed… but if he decided when to break this, it would have hurt only the poor flier… and only a little before it could have been too painful for both.  
But apparently… not even violence and pain managed to suffocate completely what Starscream has been feeling for him. No. Starscream seemed to be attached to these two branches… hate and love.  
  
It was so obvious. He could read it so easily in the words that hit him the night before. He said he decided to choose him. He said he abandoned a friend to stay with him… it was so obvious it wasn't just hate what he felt for him. Despite everything, despite all the time he tortured him and humiliated him… Starscream still felt something that was the opposite of hate for him.  
  
This realization hurt the warlord so much he had to grasp on the desk and growl. This guilt… this remorse inside of his chassis was driving him crazy! How could… a mech who caused so much pain and suffering… still be loved? How could he push a mech to hate and love the same who hurt him for all this time? And what about him? Did he still have the right to love his Starscream?  
  
His processor said no. No. One like him couldn’t have the right to love an innocent creature he corrupted and ruined. He didn’t have the right to love or be loved. He should have just told him to stop having these feelings for him, to focus on the hate.  
  
But his spark had another opinion.  
Maybe this feeling he denied for stellar cycles would have created something… a real bond that connected them like a leader and his loyal Second. A bond that would have stabilized the whole cause… something that could make them both stop feeling so bad.  
  
Could it be even possible? He decided not to risk and deal with such a dangerous emotion when nothing was wrong and when there were more possibilities to create a strong and solid relationship. Now their situation was fragile. Fragile like cracked glass, weak like the smallest flame in the wind.   
  
This love he felt… what was this again? Was it pure? Was it true? To him, it seemed just as pure as a sin of lust.  
  
Fake like the smile of the broken mech he turned his dear seeker into.  
He hissed and frowned, the image of his beautiful seeker flying in the deep blue sky seemed to be the only thing that had him relaxing again. Oh how he wished to see him there, flying in the sky. His armor shiny and bright, reflecting the warm rays of the star of Earth.  
  
Maybe… maybe he had to try to make this feeling grow. His Air Commander didn’t let it die completely… it divided in two and when the hate grew, this love remained. And even inside of his own spark this emotion survived. Otherwise he wouldn't be feeling so bad at the moment. If that emotion did die… it wouldn’t have hurt knowing he had been hurting him for so long. And he wouldn’t have considered Starscream as his. And that apparently possessive behavior wouldn’t have hurt every time he did imagine he could really end up losing him once and for all now he literally pushed him to suicide.  
  
Oh that.  
Megatron shuddered at the memory, so vivid in his processor. Without Hook… Starscream wouldn’t be there at the moment. He would be gone forever. He used him… when he was still in gun mode and in that moment he seriously had no idea what was happening, what was the other thinking… it all went so fast. The doctor saved him just in time… it felt terrible. That memory was terrible. It would have been one of those images impossible to remove from his processor. Time would have pushed it away, but it would never leave him.  
  
Never.  
  
Megatron sat at the desk for at least two joors, only when he started to feel his systems getting tired did he decided to finally give up and lay on the berth to recharge a little.  
  
  
Now everyone began to wake up instead. Even the coneheads and the little twins inside the purple flier’s cockpit. And Skywarp seemed to be quite unhappy about that idea. In fact, as soon as Dirge tried to slide out of the berth, the smaller jet wrapped his arms around his waist and grumbled, pulling the other closer to himself.  
  
«Skywarp» Ramjet called him «I’d like to have my mate back. We need to go.» and only after a few more cycles of complains, the blue seeker managed to move away.  
  
«We’ll be out all the solar cycle.» the trine leader said «You stay away from the idiots who put weird ideas in your processor for nothing.» he left the usual cube for him on the desk and waited for his mates to leave, then added «And if you need to stay with someone, stay with Soundwave.» then left the room as well.  
Rumble and Frenzy waited a couple of nanokliks more before pushing the glass open and crawled outside before the cockpit snapped automatically closed again. The blue cassette crossed the arms and stared at the door «He told him to stay with the boss.» he started «What does he even know?» he wondered and looked at the brother who shrugged and already started to move closer to Skywarp  
  
«Or what does he think to know…?» he murmured, now pulling on one of the big ailerons. «Come on you giant turkey!» he called when he noticed the seeker was contrary to getting up, but after pulling one last time, a purple arm covered him and pressed him down on the soft surface, then quickly dragged him closer to the owner, the servo swiftly wrapping around his smaller frame and keeping him in place.  
  
The dark flier grumbled some other words without sense and smirked, keeping the optics offline and snuggling closer to the small source of heat he just captured.  
«This idiot…» the red cassette complained, trying to get out of the uncomfortable position and the brother quickly moved closer to help him out  
  
«Skywarp! We need to go see if you can find Laserbeak!» and that sentence alone managed to wake him up completely.  
  
His optics onlined in a nanoklik and he jumped on his pedes, both cassettes falling off the berth as he moved quickly, then sprinted over to the cube, downed the purple liquid and coughed, almost choking himself «Well Let’s go! Let’s—» and he grumbled as he felt a leg still trapped on something, insulted something the two spies recognized as “the god-leader of the floor” but that must have been some Vosian dialect honestly.  
  
When he fell on the floor with a leg stuck into the covers he didn’t push away as he stood up, Frenzy face palmed and went close to him «Try to get a hold of yourself Skywarp. You’re way too nervous since yesterday night.»  
  
Rumble quickly added «Yes seriously, you look like an idiot. If you keep acting like that we’re not gonna solve anything!».  
  
«Well.» the seeker huffed, pushing himself up «This means Ravage didn’t find anyone in the Autobots base, yes?» he asked, now starting to calm himself.  
  
The blue cassette shook the helm «No…» he admitted «But honestly, I’m not surprised».  
  
The bigger mech nodded quickly «Yeah, not even I am too surprised. She’s probably with the seekers. I’ll go check now» and luckily Rumble grabbed onto his leg before he could teleport  
  
«You idiot! We can’t stay in here. You already forgot Soundwave’s plan?»  
  
Right, right. He was supposed to take them to Megatron. «Huh. And what are you two gonna tell him? You didn’t explore a damn thing.» And that was the truth, but they were rarely left without a plan  
  
«We didn’t explore» Frenzy admitted «But Buzzsaw did. And we’re gonna go tell Megatron that the Autobots think we gave up trying to explore the cave.» he explained with a smug grin «Yes, the Constructicons created another entrance from the opposite side of the mountain and they don’t suspect a thing.»  
  
It wasn’t a very long report, but they were quite the experts in losing time and that meant Skywarp had all the time he needed to help get in the seekers shared quarters, look for Laserbeak and then return to get the two outside of Megatron’s quarters… or out of the med bay.  
  
They weren’t that sure where he was at the moment, but as soon as the telepath reached this message through their bond, he quickly informed them of their leader position. He also added not to stress him too much and behave at least a little serious. He wasn’t feeling the best at the moment... and he just went to recharge.  
Alright maybe they could lose time being not so annoying as they were thinking about. Apparently Starscream’s conditions were making him feel quite bad. The twins weren’t quite sure themselves when they first heard the ex gladiator realized it was time to stop hurting the seeker. He’s been doing that for vorns… was it possible he really decided to stop now? Well apparently he did for real! Now they just wondered if Skywarp believed that too. They weren’t too sure about that. Hopefully he did, or hearing the warlord decided to stay every night in the med bay with his trine leader could sound a bit… a bit bad maybe, yes?  
  
But obviously things couldn’t go as they hoped. Of course. They did leave the seeker enough time indeed. But when the two walked out of Megatron’s quarters… there he was. Standing in front of them with an empty expression on his face plates. Even when he told them they could come out his voice seemed… weird.  
  
Rumble climbed up his shoulder again «If you stay there with that look we’re gonna panic too.» he told him «You found her…? She’s… dead?» honestly with that look it only seemed like that really happened!  
  
What did it mean coming back with that expression?! But the answer made them both realize why he looked like that.  
  
«She’s not in there.» he whispered.  
Okay, they could understand if these seekers captured her and killed her okay, understandable… but it had been two nights since she disappeared and if they intended to use this against Soundwave they would have already done that. This was so confusing!  
The flier told them that the remaining seekers were very calm, a few just asked him what he was looking for and offered to help him look for this non existing data pad. No one panicked. They were completely relaxed and didn’t seem to suspect a thing.  
  
This was crazy! It meant they never brought her in there with them… What was happening seriously?!  
  
Frenzy leaned against the taller mech’s leg «…Where is Laserbeak…?» he hissed, looking down at the floor. She wasn’t with the Autobots, she wasn’t in the base, she wasn’t with the seekers. Did they really… destroy her and abandoned her remains in the dust? Or maybe at the bottom of a river? What was the meaning of such an act even? If they wanted to keep control on their boss, they could have easily kept a piece of her… as a proof. They must have thought Soundwave needed a proof in these cases! If they wanted to have power over him, a piece of his dear cassette as a threat could be needed… where did they even put her? It was obvious it was their fualt now. But where was she?!  
  
The twins hissed nervously. Even seeing her dead frame would have been enough. At least they would have understood she was dead… and that would have been over. But this… this problem of the missing frame was making them go crazy. Even Soundwave hadn't been feeling well about it all.  
  
  
While Starscream, like the brother, hadn’t been recharging properly that night but Mixmaster managed to understand that only after Megatron left. He saw the red seeker growling and murmuring words in his recharge every now and then, he clawed at the cold surface of the berth and hissed, wings twitching.  
The scientist went to sit next to him on the same berth, then looked over at the blue jet, hoping he would’ve remained asleep. Poor seeker didn’t need to see his leader like this… he would’ve started to get nervous too. He was probably having a very bad recharge and as soon as he would have woke up, everything would have ended. But after a couple of cycles Starscream didn’t seem to be getting close to waking up, the chemist slowly lied a servo on the yellow glass of his cockpit, rubbing lightly to help him wake up not too violently.  
The flier woke up after a few nanokliks, coughing and sitting up immediately, suddenly releasing the berth and staring in confusion at the constructicon there next to him. Mixmaster tilted his helm and looked up at his face plates «Bad recharge, commander?» he asked, already getting ready to call Hook. But luckily it didn’t seem necessary.  
«Yeah» the jet answered, thinking about all those thoughts that tormented him while’s been resting.  
  
This image of himself without the wings, the thought of being nothing but a fragile mech with two appendages that made him seem important and strong, while he was nothing but a number. Created to fight and with no other purpose other than obey and fight in the sky. He was identical to many others just like him… if someone took off his wings… what would there be left of him?  
  
He was nothing.  
  
It was his fault if all this has happened to him after all. Him and his pride. Megatron told him to stay in his place, and he had no idea where his place was. But maybe he was still in time to be a good soldier at least? Maybe… he still was in time to be respected by his leader and prove he deserved that respect? He seemed to be respecting him now. He remained close to him, even after he scratched his chest and… and he made him leak! But he didn’t hurt him. And did he even cry that night? Maybe... He was confused, maybe those drops he felt on his fists were drops of energon.  
  
«A really bad recharge…» he added, trying to kick away those thoughts and focus on the green and purple mech close to him. «Where’s Megatron?» he asked.   
  
«Oh!» the mixer crossed his arms «He left half a joor ago. He was here all night».  
All night? Starscream tilted his helm. He remained there next to him all night? Like the other time? He was… close to him all night? Was it really possible… he cared? Really cared?  
  
«You want… you want me to call the doctor, commander?» the other asked  
  
Immediately the seeker shook the helm «No no. No. I’m fine.» then looked at his trine mate, still seeming to be recharging peacefully. He wasn’t feeling so bad anymore, maybe he would soon opened his bond again. Skywarp needed to stay with them again, he was lonely. But maybe not now. No, he needed to calm himself before sending a wave of confusion and fear through the bond. Lately he seemed to be very calm and happy, especially when he got allowed to return to see them, but at night he felt him suffering. He was lonely, he was feeling so bad. He definitively didn’t need to deal with all his confusion he has been feeling.  
  
  
In fact, that same evening the two cassettes realized that somehow this problems of missing Laserbeak has been affecting Skywarp almost more than them. And how was that possible? Laserbeak wasn’t bound to him. She was their sister. They were connected. Skywarp didn’t know her! He never cared about her. They have been chasing each other after every prank he did to the twins that had her getting involved too. But they imagined what pushed him to feel so bad.  
After another solar cycle of researches and pretending to be fine every time he went to visit his mates in the Med bay, the purple jet dragged himself deep in the base, then let his frame literally slide down on the floor. And he remained there, next to the reserves of energon, where no one actually went. The air was colder and the walls humid. Nobody liked to get in there after all.  
When the twins asked him what was the problem, he whimpered and hid the helm under his arms «…it’s a lot that Soundwave doesn’t have Laserbeak with himself…» and the two smiled lightly at each other.   
  
Ah. Apparently someone was feeling something for their boss.  
«What? Are you afraid he’s not gonna look at you anymore because you can’t find her?» Frenzy asked him after a while, which made the jet sit up immediately  
  
«Listen! Stop talking about this crush that doesn’t exist! I mean—»  
  
Rumble shushed him «This crush that does exist you mean, Skywarp» then moved closer to him «You like our boss. And you’re angry that you can’t find our sister».  
The seeker snapped, kicking at some cubes and growling, wings tilting up in a sharp angle, only to get pressed down after a moment «Well yes! So?! I’m a seeker and I can’t even seek her. I am a teleporter and I teleported like scarp when I had to save my trine leader! Whatever I do is a mess! And this… this crush problem is my OWN problem» he whimpered and the wings drooped low a moment later  
  
«I have nothing special after all. Except for having the ability to mess up every time I try to do ONE thing right. And then what’s special in me? I’m a seeker, wow, very rare. Yes. But I’m constructed like a thousand of others exactly like me! We may see the little differences but…» he huffed «but from outside? I look identical to Acid Storm or his trine… just with another color. I would have liked to look a bit different. But I can’t. Not even Starscream wanted that frame and not even Thundercracker.»  
  
There was a long moment of silence before he realized he’s been crying again. So he wiped away the coolant from his optics and took a deep intake «I was constructed. While he was forged. He does look special. He looks unique because he pretty much is. But if he really would want to bond with a seeker, which I highly doubt because of what those idiots did to him, there are thousands of mechs that look identical to me. I’m not different from that army of idiots!»  
  
When they remained quiet for a cycle, the flier huffed and looked away from the cassettes, then opened the mouth to speak and tell them not to bring up this subject ever again. But another voice had him shutting the mouth immediately.  
«Skywarp: Different.»  
The jet quickly moved to get on his pedes. He wanted to run away, forward as fast as he could, without daring to turn around. But a firm servo grabbed onto his arm and he could do nothing but stare at the two little devious cassettes who grinned and quickly went to hide in their boss’ chest. They called him didn’t they? They called him since he began to talk and probably gave Soundwave all the information they recorded. Little bastards.  
But he still refused to turn around. «Ngh… Soundwave. I’ve no idea what you may have heard.»  
«Soundwave: heard everything.»  
  
Ah good. Perfect, really. He heard all of that.  
«Uh… forget that stuff you heard, it was… I was playing-» idiot, what are you talking about? He’s a telepath.  
«Skywarp: lying.»   
  
In fact. See? He knows you’re lying you idiot! Idiot! Next time try to convince someone who doesn’t read your processor! «Ugh… well. Anyway. You also lie» he murmured after a couple of cycles of silence, turning around and staring in the other’s visor «I’m not different and you know it. I’ve been built identical to many others.»  
  
Soundwave shook his helm, his grip getting softer on his arm «Soundwave: doesn’t need to lie.» then moved closer, using the other servo to grab on the other’s shoulder, tracing softly his digits on the armor «Skywarp: constructed like many.» he admitted, nodding once but quickly added «Skywarp: special».  
The jet shrugged, looking away and sighing «If you talk about my power, I can’t even use it properly.» he tried to pull away but the other’s apparently soft grip was also very firm and steady.  
  
Soundwave didn’t let Skywarp move and only pulled him closer «Skywarp: loyal. Kind. Smart, but hides it» then his glance moved down as he began to stare at the floor «Skywarp: alone.» then suddenly, he pulled the seeker close against himself, wrapping the arms around his back, his chin resting against his shoulder. His voice was way lower now «Soundwave: …alone.».  
Yes. Alone. Skywarp knew what he meant with that. He was completely alone… he was surrounded by people. But somehow it felt like he was… alone. It may have sounded selfish, thinking to be alone when so many tried to make him feel better.  
  
Ramjet let him rest with them, Rumble and Frenzy didn’t leave him for a single moment except when he went in the seeker's quarters. But he still felt so lonely. But not now. Not now he was in Soundwave’s arms. Now he felt… better.  
Before he could realize what was happening, Soundwave already pulled him up and started to walk back upstairs to his own quarters. It was late, he needed to rest and he was beginning to have his moments, murmuring and complaining. A couple of seekers saw the scene, but it was enough one of Soundwave's glances to make them hush immediately and turn away. He was seriously not going to deal with them. He didn’t care if they thought he hurt Skywarp, because he didn’t. With all due respect for seekers, he was getting tired of them. He should have been a bit more afraid… but honestly. He was tired. He worked all the solar cycle… and the little jet was feeling terrible. No time to lose with them.   
No.  
  
The flier kept complaining a bit more even when he was pushed on the berth, but calmed down after a couple of cycles when Soundwave lied down next to him. The Spymaster moved as far as he could, just to make him feel comfortable and reminded to his cassettes not to come out to annoy the flier. He wasn't one of his kind and maybe that would have scared him. He wouldn't have touched him, he was going to lay on his side and recharge till morning. But he soon found himself being poked on the back from the other, so he slowly turned around, finding himself facing the other who seemed to have calmed down completely.  
  
There he was. Now he was there looking up at him with those bright red optics. The telepath tilted his helm and heard his thoughts. He was focusing on his white mask and visor. And he wished to see underneath once again. Well, understandable, he was feeling uncomfortable recharging with a mech who had his face plates covered like that, and he couldn’t understand if he was resting or not. The Spymaster tried to ignore his little assistants words and ordered them to recharge immediately. When his mask moved out of the way, those little spies only seemed to get even more excited.  
 _  
-Boss. Boss come on-_ He heard Rumble tell him and for the moment he remained quiet, trying to ignore him.  
Then the visor shortly followed the mask and a light smile appeared on the jet’s face plates. He was feeling safer now apparently. And he moved a bit closer. Now both the cassettes began to put pressure on him  
 _-come on boss! What are you waiting for?!-_  
 _-He’s an elite seeker. They call them elite for a reason-_ Frenzy almost squeaked  
 _-Come on don’t tell us you’re gonna chicken out! You want to stand up and go do monitor duty?! Don’t think about it! Boss don’t you dare!-_  
He would have dared. Yes. But The jet was faster and he moved close enough to have both their noses touching on the tip, those deep scarlet optics staring into his.  
 _-Don’t you dare. Come on Boss. Oh for Primus sake, you two together are even more perfect than we thought! A turkey and a chicken-_  
He didn’t even listen to the rest of their words. After all, at first he was just afraid the other didn’t want to. But he seemed to be asking for it. Would that mean he had been taken advantage of?  
  
He’d never… maybe he was but couldn't understand, but this didn’t mean he didn’t care. But honestly there were other thoughts keeping his processor busy at the moment. Skywarp’s face plates were so soft and warm. White, just like his own, from so close he could see all the little scratches against his cheeks and on the tip of his nose.  
  
He sure must have been expert to kiss, because it felt beautiful. His servos holding his helm still, those purple digits brushing against his cheeks that no one ever touched in vorns. He never allowed anyone to touch him there like this, then his glossa softly and almost shyly exploring against his own slowly getting bolder once he felt Soundwave pushing against him instead of pulling away.  
The telepath ignored the comments of his two little assistants. He didn’t care about what they thought at the moment. He only felt a mix of fear and boldness. He has been wearing that mask to keep his emotions hidden from everyone. Now this other mech was touching his face plates, he was so close he was practically inside of his mouth. It tasted good, sweet. And wet as the other put way more energy in that kiss, as if he was no longer afraid to cause to the telepath some kind of damage.  
  
When the two pulled away from each other, the telepath wrapped his arms around the smaller mech and offlined the optics, caressing gently on the black appendages that immediately pressed themselves against his servos. He kept the flier close in a gentle hug, letting the purring of the other's engine pull him into recharge.  
  
They both had been feeling terrible lately and cuddling close to each other felt good. It felt right for them both. Soundwave knew he wasn’t taking advantage of anything… he wasn’t playing with the seeker. He cared and for once he knew he could show one emotion to someone. He ignored how illogical and dangerous a relationship could be during a war... how Skywarp's trine leader wouldn't be as happy about it. He wasn't doing anything wrong.  
  
  
But, apparently, things couldn’t end properly that solar cycle. Not for Soundwave and not even for Skywarp, who woke up in a berth alone. He immediately checked his crono and went to sit up, feeling quite confused already. It was still night. Sure they went to recharge a bit earlier this time… but he didn’t think Soundwave had this much work to be done. A whimper from under the berth and Ravage jumped up closer to the confused flier. He was keeping the ears low and scratching nervously on the covers. What was going on? Why didn't the telepath wake him up if he had to do something important?  
The seeker quickly wrapped his arms around the black feline and ran out. What was going on seriously? Probably under attack or something! He could see two seekers running and seeming to get ready to take off, Astrotrain running down the hallway too with a cube in a servo, looking like he was about to be refueling quickly and getting ready to leave as well.  
  
Skywarp decided to follow him «Ohi! Spacebus!» he called, earning a huff of annoyance but managing to stop the triple-changer who looked down at him.  
  
«Ah no. No.» he said immediately «Who woke you up?» he asked, pointing down the corridor «Megatron wants you at the base! You’re not coming with us, go back to rest».  
The purple flier tilted his helm, feeling his spark spinning crazily inside of his chassis. Were they really under attack?! «Go where? Do what?!» he asked, Ravage growled and stared at the bigger mech. He knew what was happening, Soundwave told him, but he had his reasons to be so nervous. «The Autobots attacked the site. We only have three constucticons there. How do you think things will end if we don’t go solve the problem?».  
The flier looked at the mech running away and tried to focus «How did they find out?» and the black spy in his arms hissed. True. How did they find out, seriously? Didn’t the constucticons create another entrance? Well hidden and far from the cave they abandoned?! How was it possible they found out so easily where they started digging? He thought the Autobots decided to give up searching for them!  
There was something wrong about all this. And he knew something would have happened. He had to go too. Even to simply keep an optic on all those seekers. Because now they were going out alone.  
  
Yes… and Soundwave had to leave too! This sounded terrible. A bit too casual to seem like an incident. His trine remained in the base, him, the only mech who decided to protect the Spymaster was supposed to stay in the base because of what happened to his trine. Did they… organize this? Skywarp wasn’t stupid and he could tell when something was definitively not right.  
  
As he ran through the corridors, he saw the telepath there, next to Megatron. Along with so many seekers getting ready to fly out. Ravage growled and tried to struggle to reach his master, but the dark jet held him still.  
  
«No, you, stupid! They’ll get you if they see you running all alone.» He needed to hide him. And he did the same thing he did the night before. Soon Ravage was hidden in his cockpit, a little tighter because of his larger frame but it still worked. He smiled lightly and swiftly moved to stand next to Sunstorm and his trine. Hotlink quickly pushed his trine leader with an elbow and the yellow jet gasped once he spotted the purple seeker close to them.  
  
«Skywarp?» he whispered «What are you doing here? Megatron wants you in the base!».  
«I know.» was the simple answer form the elite seeker «And I say I’m tired of keeping my wings still. It’s three solar cycles since I last flew.» it was so easy lying for him. Starscream taught him well after all.  
  
Bitstream moved closer to the others «You don’t have a trine…! You want to come out here alone?» he asked and getting shushed immediately by the other  
  
«Yes. Alone. So they’re not gonna get hurt again-».  
And this problem would have continued, these four could have kept arguing. But as soon as Skywarp saw the first fliers take off, he quickly teleported ahead and flew out with them. That night the sea wasn’t calm and the clouds covered the moon.  
  
He wasn’t easy to recognize and Megatron wouldn’t have paid attention to him. Astrotrain probably forgot about him too… and the important thing was that he could keep an optic on the rainmakers. And that they wouldn’t have spotted him. From his position he could already see one of them. Ion Storm… and not too far he could recognize the bright green armor of his trine leader.  
  
«Don’t worry Ravage» he murmured «We’re gonna keep an optic on those two».  
Too bad he forgot about Nova Storm. He didn’t take off with the others. No. He remained at the base, managing to immobilize the telepath with one single sentence.  
  
«Ah Soundwave. Me and my brothers found a wing that belongs to you». The blue mech didn’t even turn the helm. He remained still like a statue.  
«Oh sorry» the rainmaker corrected himself «We found a... thing. A thing that belongs to you.» he grinned, lying a servo on the mech’s shoulder «Want to get it back?» he asked with a sweet and at the same time venomous voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After 3 years I update. Meh flu sucks.  
> And yes. Soundwave and Skywarp. In the end i did it. yay. I ship a thousand of things.


	12. Blind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta Killuascreamer
> 
>  
> 
> Units of time:
> 
>  
> 
> 1 Nanoklik - 1 second
> 
> 1 Cycle - 1 minute and 30 seconds
> 
> 1 Joor - 1 hour
> 
> 1 Solar Cycle - 1 day
> 
> 1 Deca Cycle - 10 days
> 
> 1 Stellar Cyle - 1 year
> 
> 1 Vorn - 80 years

Hook didn’t like this.  
  
There was something terribly wrong with the whole situation. And the fact he came to know the Autobot attacked his mates didn’t help him relax. He was sure they were currently busy not getting captured, only three against… oh he had no idea how many of those glitches decided to attack only three of his gestalt mates while they were all alone and working underground.  
  
The medic clenched his denta to force his thoughts to stay inside his processor and stared at the Air Commander, currently sitting there on his berth. The cube of medical energon on the table next to him, as always. He refused to drink it again and this time Megatron wouldn’t came to make him do it. No, not tonight. He was going to fight at the site to protect the Constructicons and the only energy source they could afford at the moment.  
  
His brothers got called to join the attack of course and now both the seekers remained awake, sitting up and looking at him with expressions he couldn’t read. They seemed nervous but angry and calm at the same time. He wasn’t sure how much they knew of what happened that day. What exactly happened between them or their trine, he had no idea but he was almost completely sure it had something to do with their trine mate Skywarp… who was supposed to be recharging in Soundwave’s quarters at the moment.  
  
Did they know about that? Probably… Just like his gestalt bond, even theirs was strong. They didn’t need to leave the med bay to know what happened to him. May that be something innocent or not, Hook honestly didn’t care. But Starscream? He never got along very well with the Communication Officer.  
  
Thundercracker instead seemed to feel comfortable around almost everyone, he was a bit more silent and serious than the teleporter but he never caused trouble and never pushed someone to hate him. He sometimes seemed more loyal to Starscream instead of the cause and didn’t appreciate many ideas their leader came up with. He often could be heard complaining loudly about some plans he didn’t want to be part of and refusing to take off.  
  
But that all aside, he was the most reasonable mech Hook ever met. He wasn’t a blind idiot who followed his leaders like a drone. He argued too. Unlike Starscream, his way to argue was controlled, his reasoning was flawless and it sometimes pushed Megatron to ask himself what was he thinking, even if he probably never admitted it. Thundercracker rarely started to yell. He used a very loud tone but not an annoying one. He never whined and his biggest complains were based on the fact that he hated taking risks. Risks that would have had very big consequences.  
  
Right now the blue flier was staring at his trine leader with a worried expression. He just suddenly stopped focusing on him and looked at Starscream instead. Hook didn’t know much about seekers language, body language they used or any other way they had to communicate but he could bet the problem was making the Air Commander accept that Skywarp had feeling for Soundwave. Everyone knew where he was at the moment, since the telepath assured Megatron he left Ravage in his quarters to guard the purple seeker. Yet, his mates couldn’t have heard him saying that… but except for the fact they had the ability to feel every emotion that came from Skywarp, the rumors didn’t wait two cycles before flowing through the whole base, even if the jets were getting ready to attack the Autobots, they still found some time to chatter.  
  
  
The crane walked closer to the red jet, looking at his bright armor and smiling lightly. If the situation would have been calmer and he still had Bonecrusher and Mixmaster there with him, the medic was sure he would have felt much better about his job. Starscream’s colors were back, his white wings shiny and gleaming under the cold light of the machines in the Med bay, the purple medicine reflected its glow against the clean and golden cockpit. The only missing piece was the blue servo. It was already painted and ready to replace the silver prosthetic. But he didn’t finish his job.  
  
No, he was worried about what may have happened to his mates, still working in that cave. How cpuld he finish his job now? Starscream was awake, he could do it but… he didn’t feel calm enough for such an operation. It didn’t even seem like the Commander needed his limb at the moment. He seemed to be fine even without it. They could have waited till the next morning. How much time could it take for Megatron, Soundwave and all those seekers to make the Autobots leave the site? If only he could have left too. With Devastator those idiots would have been blown away even more easily!  
Suddenly, he saw Starscream standing up and leaning on the table for a moment to keep his balance. The Construction quickly ran over to him and tried to help him sit down again, but his servos had been pushed away almost immediately. «Leave me.» the jet said coldly, his dark optics slowly returning to their original color, now having taken a vermilion shade around the corners. In the dark he saw the sharp ivory denta as they clenched into a warning snarl. The seeker stared at the medicine for a few cycles in silence, huffed and looked again at his mate for a moment. He then shook the helm quickly and started to walk over to the office, opening the door and sliding inside silently. The Constructicon followed him, remaining there at the entrance so he could keep an optic on both the jets.  
  
Thundercracker shrugged and laid a servo over his pale face plates, taking a deep intake and sighing loudly. They’ve been probably communicating silently with or whispering in their native language. From what he could tell, they argued and now Starscream decided to leave not to be forced to look at his trine mate.And yes, Hook wasn’t a seeker but he understood everything pretty well. Well… not exactly everything, but almost all of it. Starscream slowly walked around the desk in that smaller room, staring at his new blue limb the medic created and that he was about to give him back. He tilted the helm and observed that beautiful piece of metal, not a scratch, not a dent. New and fresh, beautiful indeed. That Construction really was an artist. He observed his left servo and struggled to find even the smallest flaw, a difference. But no. It was perfect. Oh how much he wanted that limb to be put back on his arm.  
  
  
How many things did  Starscream want in that moment actually? Many. Yes. He wanted Skywarp there with him, he wanted to tell him to stay away from Soundwave and stop thinking about interfacing a mech everyone and especially Megatron considered perfect. He wanted Megatron to be there and… and what? Right, and what? He wasn’t really offended because he didn’t go see him that night. Obviously he was busy if he had to defend the only energy resource they found and that they desperately needed. But somehow, inside of his spark that felt so damn unfair. He wanted to see him… he wanted to talk to him and feel his big dark servo against his wings, or holding his own blue wrists like he did last time. It felt so... good…  
Saying he’d been trying to kill him for stellar cycles. Now everything suddenly changed. Suddenly… and confusing him so much.  
  
«Hook» he called, looking at the green mech standing there at the door. He probably knew much more than what he thought. He was a good medic. Expert and loyal. «I want my servo back.» he went to sit down at the only chair and waited, lying his right arm on the desk.  
He knew why Hook stopped working. He was worried about his mates and decided to stop working for the moment. But Starscream wanted to have his servo back. The thought of his leader’s big warm servos around his… it felt so good. But he couldn’t stand this silver prosthetic has been touched the same way and his real servo haven’t.  
  
The crane sighed and didn’t move from the door. The jet opened his mouth to order him to move, a bit less kindly this time but suddenly the Constructicon approached him before he could do that. «I… understand» he murmured, picking up a sharp tool and cleaning it with a cloth, that was probably soaked in disinfectant. Then grabbed gently on those silver digits of his right servo  
  
«You… need your servos back». There was something weird in his vocals. Something Starscream couldn’t quite understand. It seemed… fearful. Oh he knew the medic could read his emotions so well, so perfectly well. Why couldn’t he do the same?  
He observed the other’s face plates as he began to work, removing the forearm and carefully pulling out all the cables from the replacement. He didn’t mean to upset him. Maybe it was his tone that made him feel bad. After all, he was already worried about all his mates. Maybe he should have really used a different tone. A bit more gentle.  
  
The seeker sighed and looked away for a moment. He really didn’t seem able to act a bit calmer or a bit more kind… but he should have done that. This stupid behavior put him in bad situations from the beginning. His stupid problem of acting superior and better… when he wasn’t. He wasn’t better. He was…!  
  
  
Starscream tilted his helm and stared at the medic close to him. He was… constructed. Like him. Hook was constructed and with much less importance than him. Him and his gestalt mates were workers… and they suddenly found themselves without the possibility to work. Because they were… sentient. Unable to get controlled completely and be used until they practically collapsed. Oh he did remember the terrible shape they were in when he first met them.  
  
Realization struck him. That was the reason why Hook seemed so upset all of the sudden. It was…  
«Hook, listen» Starscream started, clenching the denta and looking away when he felt the mech’s glance on his face plates. «Nh… I’m not angry because you left me without a servo… especially because you didn’t do it-» he tried to keep his voice low «You’re not like them. So stop thinking you did something like… like them. Because you didn’t».  
There were a couple of cycles of silence, then Hook talked. «I… should have finished the operation immediately» he whispered, now placing down the tool and trying to make his servos stop shaking.  
  
When did they start? Starscream didn’t even notice «I shouldn’t have left you so without your arm for so long»  
  
The flier shook his helm quickly «But you didn’t. You gave me a prosthetic not to leave me with a missing limb» he repeated. After all, it was the truth. That wasn’t his real servo but it was still something.  
  
When Hook opened the mouth to answer, the jet quickly hushed him again «Stop it. You’re not like them and you never left me with the cables dangling down from my wrists. You spent your time putting a working prosthetic to replace it. I’m nervous for other reasons. Not because you didn’t fix it sooner.»  
The crane stared at the sharp tool but didn’t dare picking it up right away. Not until he was sure he stopped shaking, then slowly started to work again. They both remained quiet until the Air Commander moved his right arm, observing his new blue limb.  
  
He opened his palm and flexed the long sharp digits, closing them one by one in a fist. Then stretched them open again and observed the back of his servo, caressing it with the other one and feeling the sensitive tips of his claws. His satisfied expression slowly faded and that serious glance returned. «Did they… do it to you?» he asked, tilting his helm to the side and focusing on the crane once again.  
  
The Constructicon remained silent, he huffed and scratched his pale cheek, then his long digits traced the edges of his visor, before he shook the helm answering «..To Mixmaster.» and crossed his arms right after. Starscream sighed and his wings twitched with a hint of anger. Mixmaster was a scientist just like him. Having his servos cut away… it was…  
«Your first kill?» he asked to the medic, who shrugged and looked at the door then back at him  
  
«Yes.» he stated. «My first kill». And he did remember the moment very well. He remembered the energon sprouting out of that glitch’s armor, from the holes where once there were two pale arms… and from the now black and empty face plates… face plates he tore away with his hook.  
«You weren’t a medic yet» The red jet murmured «Not… quite».  
  
Hook looked up at him once again then said with a cold tone «Starscream… after I joined the Decepticons and became a medic, I also realized I was in war and that I would have needed to kill despite being a surgeon. But let me tell you one thing…» he looked at the door again, then back at him «Even if I would have already been a medic and I wouldn’t have been in a war… I would have done the exact same thing I did to the glitch who cut away my mate’s servos».  
  
«Understandable.» Starscream whispered. Then he stood up, walking around the table, passing his new long digits on the wall, feeling the flat and cold surface «Is that what made your mate…» he should have found a better way to say it. The term “crazy” didn’t seem the good thing to say. Not at all. But Hook apparently already understood everything. Was this medic a telepath too?  
  
«Mixmaster isn’t crazy.» he said, sounding way calmer than what the other expected. «Mixmaster works perfectly and he just gets a bit too excited…» then shrugged «and wants to attract attention. But he’s not crazy.»  
Starscream tilted the helm and looked back at the door. Seeing Hook so damn protective with his gestalt mates made him feel like he wasn’t such a good brother with his trine instead.  
  
Skywarp was alone and he found a mech he seemed to be honestly attracted to… and from what he understood, even Soundwave had been treating him well. And about Thundercracker… he was trying to respect their mate’s choices. He was also the one who seemed to be starting a relationship with those… that… Well, with Reflector. Thundercracker managed to be always more understanding and patient despite sometimes seeming very stubborn... but there was always a reason behind it.  
  
Maybe he should have started to become a bit softer with the telepath, he never did anything bad to him. And he wasn’t an idiot… no. He could deny it like an imbecile. Like the idiot he wasn’t. Soundwave had been trying to save him from getting punished more times than what he could remember. Those times he accidentally interrupted his leader before he could punch him or shoot him. Those times he brought up some good news just in time to clam the warlord. He wasn’t… a bad mech. He was good. And maybe it was time to push away these stupid ideas about him as well. If they wanted to make this cause get stronger, they needed to trust each other and stop behaving like this.  
  
  
Unluckily, Soundwave feared he would have never been able to do anything for the cause very soon.  
  
He found himself closed in the seekers quarters, Nova Storm observing him from helm to pedes as he slowly circled around him like a predator, his sharp denta shining under the weak light of the large room. The door hissed shut and at least five other trines of seekers leaning on the walls, sitting on the floor with their wings tense, pressed against their back. All staring at him.  
  
The Communication Officer remained completely still, focusing on the Rainmaker’s movements, doing his best to ignore those devious thoughts that tried to scare him. He could have been able to get out of this situation in any moment. But Nova Storm wasn’t lying. No, he didn’t detect any lie when he said his trine had Laserbeak… and apparently she was still alive. But apparently Acid Storm and Ion Storm could  fix this in any moment.  
  
He didn’t know how they managed to hide her so well. And he couldn’t put her in danger. He couldn’t let her die like this. At the other's order to close his bond and interrupt any communication, he had to do what he was told. They would have known if he tried to send any kind of message, and she would died.  
  
«So… Communication Officer…» the bright yellow flier started, running a claw on his shoulder, leaving a silver line behind it «We all know how loyal you are to the cause and how hard it would be to convince you to do something.» he huffed and turned away, feeling so safe and protected, he didn’t even bother to keep the blue mech controlled. «But we all know how much you care about your cassettes too. And I’m sure I won’t have to explain you that as soon as my life signal disappears, Laserbeak will follow me.» He grinned and turned around, placing digit under his chin and lightly pushing his helm back «What  do you usually say…?» he asked, tilting the helm to the side «..Affirmative. Right, drone?».  
  
Soundwave didn’t dare moving from that position, not a digit moved, he didn’t dare. «Affirmative.» he simply answered with his flat voice.  
The rainmaker smirked and moved the servo away. «Ah but I’d like you to let him out as well.» and that sentence made the telepath freeze. He meant him. He knew. He could read that through his mind. He meant…  
«Buzzsaw: left the base with Rumble and Frenzy.» he answered calmly, only to curse between his clenched denta when he felt a cold gun pointing against his back. This could be a problem…  
The yellow jet smirked «I know he did.» he sighed, like a mech who had to talk to a stupid sparkling «Someone saw that yellow spy taking those two away even before Megatron ordered you to keep Skywarp in your room. We couldn’t catch them, I admit it.» but his grin only grew wider. «But don’t play dumb with me, dear drone. You know what I’m talking about.» he then moved a servo down against his chest and tapped on the glass «Let him out, you blind freak. Or that gun will pierce right through his spark along with yours» Nova Storm hissed in his audio receptors «And we only want you dead. We don’t care about your stupid assistants».  
He knew.  
  
Of course he knew. He had been on Cybertron with Shockwave.  
  
Of course… Soundwave sighed, feeling the gun being pressed harder against his back.  
  
Someone behind him talked «You want to take two of your cassettes with you then? Fine—» but the klick of his chest glass opening was enough for the seeker to stop talking. The flier in front of him grabbed the purple cassette that slid out and quickly threw him on the floor while he just started to transform.  
  
The telepath heard a light cry of pain when one of the jets stepped on Ratbat’s head and he almost cried as well, trying to run to save the little spy from getting crushed. But everything went black once again and he instinctively moved backwards when he felt something approaching his face plates.  
  
«Oh how much you whine!» someone at his left said. «He didn’t kill your pet, you glitch! He's just covering its muzzle.»  
  
The telepath could tell that alone! He heard poor Ratbat’s cries and the sound of his wings hitting against the floor and the plating of the flier who kept him pressed down, unable to fly. Shockwave must have told them how well he built him.  
  
Soundwave always had to move in complete darkness, in a world where he could hear literally anything. He was lonely, unable to control his gift and hearing voices and sounds, voices… noises and voices he didn’t want to hear. He slowly got used of his powers and learned how to see in that black world.  
  
When the scientist gave him Ratbat, he started to see for the very first time. Nobody should have expected it was that certain cassette the one who represented his very optics. He constantly scanned the areas around him, sending tridimensional and perfect projection of what surrounded them in every moment, then Soundwave’s processor became accustomed to these projections, making him feel like a normal mech. If he wanted, he could  look even behind his shoulders. But he didn’t need that. His audio receptors did that for him. In the complete darkness even without his assistant’s help, he could tell exactly where the enemy was.  
But this time… it was different. Panic confused him.  
  
In that darkness he still managed to move away as a servo moved closer to his helm for a second time and Nova Storm huffed in annoyance «You freak and your gift…» he complained «Even without his help you can still tell where we are. Good job, really! But stay still or I could get mad» and this time those sharp digits managed to grab on his neck cables tightly. «You think Skywarp would like to know you’re a blind freak?» he asked, making the blue mech hiss in pain as the grip got tighter «Now he’s in your quarters, sleeping with your kitty. It’d be a terrible thing telling him the truth about you… wouldn’t it?»  
  
Soundwave gasped, feeling another servo grabbing onto his mask «But we’ll be kind. We won’t tell him that once you’ll be dead. Happy? We’ll leave your Ravage alive, since he seems to like him so much now, yes? Along with all your cassettes.» He could hear him giggle and pull against his mask «And we won’t even tell him that to look at him in the optics, you need to have a cassette hidden in your chest, that shares what he sees for you. That when you forced him to interface, he was being observed from the optics of someone else»  
  
Again with this? Again? He hissed when the white protection got torn away and thrown on the floor. Then he gasped, feeling so exposed to that crazy flier…  
«We… didn’t-» but someone kicked him behind the knees and he fell down, servos holding him up before he could hit the floor.  
  
«We saw you taking him in your quarters this evening, while he was crying.» the jet spat then kicked against his face violently, visor cracking and a trail of purple fluid started to leak from the corner of his mouth. «You piece of scrap… thinking we don’t notice when someone takes advantage of a lonely Seeker?» he hissed, before he delivered another kick on his helm and pressing his face plates down on the floor, thruster hitting against his cheek.  
«Now don’t worry, you won’t have to suffer too much. We’ll get rid of you quickly, just as soon as your beloved leader is dead.»  
  
Soundwave shivered and tried to get up, but it wasn’t the pede on his neck cables that stopped him. It was Ratbat’s cry when the seeker pressed him on the floor a bit harder. They wanted… to kill Megatron too?  
  
«You thought he would have killed our leader instead? Oh look, that’s not how things went. Our Starscream will live and you two will die instead-».  
  
The telepath coughed, spitting some energon on the floor. They never tried to hurt Starscream… quite the opposite actually… «He… he never…» another kick that came out of the darkness hushed him once again.  
«Never what?! You think we didn’t see what he did to push him to suicide? He was in gun mode, wasn’t he? Couldn’t he transform when he saw Starscream pointing his stupid cannon on his helm?!» someone at his left hissed.  
  
No… Megatron couldn’t transform in that moment because he was just as shocked as everyone else. But these fliers were too angry… blinded by rage. It was... over, wasn’t it? If he tried to go save Megatron, his cassettes were doomed. Laserbeak would have died, just like Ratbat. He was loyal to Megatron… he really was. But his cassettes were everything for him. Everything.  
He couldn’t call for help, he couldn’t hope Ravage would have ran there to save him… and even if he did, what about Laserbeak? He was defeated… this was the end. Soon he would have got killed and there was nothing he could do. These seekers… they were the most dangerous thing he ever met. Angry seekers. So angry they went completely crazy, ferocious and merciless.  
  
  
But Skywarp and Ravage weren’t in the base… the purple jet kept flying low, distant from the leader and the two Rainmakers. He didn’t want to get spotted immediately. The wind whipped his face plates and his wings fluttered against the cold air. It’s been just three days he was kept inside the Nemesis at the bottom of the sea, but it felt longer than that. A seeker belonged in the sky. He had to fly. He needed it.  
But this fight was going to give them a lot of troubles… he was sure about it. He had a feeling in his spark and this kept him worried. His worry only grew stronger when he realized he didn’t see the yellow Rainmaker. Where was Nova Storm? He looked around, trying to find him, but he was nowhere to be seen. Hopefully he went too far and now he couldn’t see him anymore. He saw Astrotrain and Blitzwing, flying close to each other. Megatron was still far enough ahead, he wasn’t a problem. They reached the abandoned cave faster than he expected and a feeling of disgust raised from his spark up to his throat, threatening to make him purge once again.  
  
They wouldn’t have went there to fight luckily… that was the place where he saw Starscream try to… do... that.  
He could see the scene playing before his optics again. That terrible place! He would have never dared to fly over there again! Luckily, they circled around the mountain, where the Autobots attacked. He could see smoke coming out from the rock wall, a dark cloud raising from the ground.  
  
Skywarp immediately focused on the bright blue seeker and saw him diving with all the others, but differently from them, he threw himself in the smoke, disappearing.  
What was he doing?  
He spotted at least twelve Autobots on the ground and the three constucticons already moved out of the site, trying to shoot back and mostly trying to stay hidden behind the rocks, instead of running out to attack. He had no idea how three of them managed to resist for almost a joor, alone. They probably stayed underground until they could, then got probably forced to leave and stay hidden on the mountain, using those same stones they could pick up so easily to try to bury those glitches under a landslide. They were strong warriors even without forming Devastator, they sure knew how to resist an attack when they were in an familiar area where they could move freely!  
But if they were outside and so easy to spot why was Ion Storm directed to the cave? He decided to follow him. Even if just the idea of going down there made him feel like panicking. Going underground? Seekers were comfortable in the sky… not underground. Why was he going there? Why…? There was something terribly wrong in his behavior.  
  
The purple flier passed through the black cloud of dust and smoke, finding himself practically at the entrance of the cave. He saw how an explosion blocked the hole they created to get inside, but somehow it managed to open another, making the ground collapse. It was dark in there. Terribly dark and not a single light. If he wanted to follow the Rainmaker, he should have been very careful. Very. He started with keeping the right distance from him, careful not to hit his wings against rocks all around. But he soon realized there was another problem. His optics. His red glowing optics would have made enough light to make the other jet realize he was being followed by someone. He offlined them immediately and shivered. What to do now? What to do?!  
  
_-Skywarp-_ when he heard a voice he suddenly jumped and almost gasped. Who..? _-It’s me. Ravage._ \- What? Ravage??  
_-What is this… what is this frequency?-_ he asked him, confused  
_-It’s a personal frequency that connects me to my brothers and Soundwave. Now I wouldn’t be letting you use it, if it wasn’t for the terrible situation we’re in!-_  
Terrible situation? Well... yeah, it was quite bad.  
_-Ravage! Why did you—!-_ who was this? He never heard that voice before.  
_-Shut up Buzzsaw! Skywarp here needs to use it.-_  
There was a couple of nanokliks of silence and the black feline immediately started to talk again through the comm link  
_-Now listen, Skywarp. Keep your optics offline and don’t you dare to make us get spotted. I’ll guide you. Proceed slowly and I’ll tell you what to do.-  
  
_ It felt weird… he couldn’t see anything. He was in an unknown place, in the complete darkness and guided by the optics of the feline closed behind the yellow glass on his chest. He was scared. He couldn’t lie about it. It was terrible moving while he didn’t know where the pit he was going. He even wondered why he cared to follow this idiot! But everything was way too suspicious not to mean something important.  
  
_-I want… to know if Soundwave’s okay… Can’t I talk to him?_ \- he suddenly remembered he followed the seekers because he had no intention to leave him alone with all of those fliers who literally wanted to eat him alive. But Rumble’s voice made him stop moving all of the sudden and start to shiver in panic.  
_-Soundwave’s not here-_  
_-Rumble!-_ Ravage growled _-You’re scaring him!-_  
_-Oh well! We’re all scared!-_  
_-W-what happened?-_ Skywarp could almost feel his spark cracking in half from the fear. What happened to Soundwave??  
_-He made us leave with Buzzsaw before they even started to get ready to take off. Then when Megatron left… he closed his bond after a couple of cycles and now we can’t hear them anymore!-_  
Them…?  
_-Nova Storm!-_ Skywarp gasped. Only covering his mouth with a servo right after. Hopefully the Rainmaker didn’t hear. Oh this situation was terrible. He felt like purging again! He was in the dark… he couldn’t see a thing and hearing voices inside of his processor. He wasn’t sure the ones he loved were as safe anymore. It felt terrible. He wanted to cry.  
_-Silence!-_ Ravage growled again _-Soundwave’s alive. We feel his life signal, he just closed the bond. Rumble, you three stay out there and keep the situation under control like he told you! Don’t lose Acid Storm. Now about Ion…!_ \- he stopped talking all of the sudden.  
Silence.  
_-What…?-_ Skywarp asked. What was wrong with Ravage, what did he see…?  
_-Skywarp!-_ He talked again all of the sudden _-Put your pedes down, now! Slowly. Land! Then, online your optics!-  
_  
The seeker had never been more glad to follow an order. He found himself in a dark rocky corridor, dusty and dirty, drops of water running down the sharp rocks all around. It was a terrible place, yes… but he could finally see where he was.  
_-Let me out!-_ The feline said. What? Let him out? Now? With Ion Storm still around? _-I smell her! I can smell her!-_  
_-R-Ravage who do you….?-_ He heard Frenzy asking, sounding so scared and nervous at the same time.  
_-Laserbeak! She’s here and very close!-  
  
  
_ Thundercracker wished he could stand up and drag himself over to Sounwave’s quarters to sit close to his brother. This anxiety he felt through the bond made him feel so bad. He probably woke up and found out the Communication Officer left to go fight while he’d been recharging. And he knew his dear trine mates were still closed in the Med bay. Of course he was scared! He never liked to be alone in the berth. Along with knowing Starscream didn’t like this relationship he had with the Telepath. They didn’t get along well and now just because of that, Skywarp couldn’t be interested in him. Well, relationship... they just staretd to get close to each other.  
  
Their trine leader could be even more childish than him when he wanted to be stubborn. The blue flier tried to move and focused on the office, intending to continue the discussion and refusing to let it die there with a “I don’t want to talk to you again, I’ll walk away”. No way. As he tried to put his good pede down, the door hissed open and three familiar voices called him in unison. He looked down at the three small mechs stopping in front of him. He would have smiled in another occasion, but at the moment he was feeling quite nervous… and Reflector’s expression didn’t help. They seemed scared. What did they see this time?  
  
When Viewfinder passed him a picture, the jet almost threw it away gasping. «Oh dear Primus!» his servos began to shake violently and before he could make even one question, Spyglass climbed up on the berth, whispering in his audio receptor, keeping his optics on the security cameras up on the wall, as if he was afraid of being watched… no. As if he knew there was something there watching, someone who didn’t need to hear a word of what he was saying.  
«Tell Starscream!» Spectro whispered, pointing at the office.  
  
Oh he would have told him indeed! Thundercracker wouldn’t have needed to hear that to go. He immediately moved up onto both his pedes, doing his best to keep balance and not fall over. He saw Spyglass trying to help him, pushing his shoulders forward as he started to feel like he was about to fall back on the berth. He then decided to take quick steps and literally threw himself against the open door of the office. Hook stood up and walked over to him, helping him to stand properly after he almost fell over.  
«The seekers went completely crazy, Starscream!» he immediately said, looking at his trine leader who was there behind the desk and staring at him with a confused expression.  
  
«W-wha…?» he tried to ask, as if he didn’t understand a single word that reached his audio receptors.  
  
His mate kept talking «They think Soundwave forced Skywarp to interface with him… they got him now. He’s here!».  
  
The red jet shook the helm quickly «N…no. No he’s… they never… we would have felt that if he got…!».  
  
Soundwave never touched their brother… he wasn’t a rapist. They felt nothing but true affection that Skywarp felt for him… not fear. Nothing bad. And they never even interfaced!  
«I know!» the blue flier quickly yelled «They want to get rid of him and Megatron now. Because they think he tried to kill you, they think they both tried to kill you-»  
  
What?! What was happening? They…? He felt a wave of panic raising from his spark as he imagined the situation. Megatron and the two triple changers were going to fight… and all those seekers wanted to… to kill him? While Soundwave was at the base, ready to get killed too, kept far form his leader. He has been trying to become leader of the Decepticons for vorns. He tried everything. Now he practically had the power of every single flier on his side.  
  
He could have gave the word and he would have became leader finally… They all suddenly decided to be loyal to him once again. But…  
He hissed and stared on the floor, confused and scared at the same time. Did he really want this…? The thought made him shiver. Wasn’t that what he thought even that day? Yes. His thought was: Was that what he really wanted? This?  
He looked over at Thundercracker again.  
  
«Please…» he literally begged him, his expression desperate «They want to kill him.» he repeated with a whisper.  
  
Starscream remained still, thinking so fast about everything that happened in such a short time… But how could he ignore what Skywarp may have felt if…  
«Go stop them.» he decided, stepping out of the office and throwing a long metallic stick at him to help him walk. Hook tilted the helm to the side, these two were talking about death and he didn’t like the situation.  
  
«Go where??» he asked «What is going on?». The blue jet handed him the picture Reflector gave him «this, is what is going on».  
«Oh Primus! What are they doing?!» Hook ran over to the door, but Starscream promptly grabbed him by the wrist  
  
«No!» he hissed «They won’t listen to you. They’ll listen to him!» and pointed over to his mate.  
  
«Starscream…!» he needed to get out there and help Soundwave. That picture of him, on the floor, leaking so much energon from his mouth and nose… he needed to go. He was a medic.  
  
«I know he needs you. He does but you just stay out, let Thundercracker talk if you want to help him. I know what angry seekers do and apparently these ones are furious. Stay out of the way.» the flier said in a cold tone, not the loud voice he used almost all the time, that screechy tone. No. It was softer and firm at the same time, voice low and calm.  
  
When was the last time he talked like this?  
«Yes, Commander.» The crane nodded and helped the blue jet to get out instead, following him down the hallway.  
  
The red seeker fluttered his wings quickly then snapped his fingers «Reflector, I want you to put me in contact with Shockwave. Immediately.»  
  
  
When he stepped into the control room, the few fliers at the console literally jumped out of their seat, confused to see him so… so active. They expected him to feel much worse, instead he seemed to be feeling even better than before, his shiny armor had never been this perfect and flawless. He seemed even younger, like when he was before the war.  
  
The Reflector climbed up on the console and got to work, trying to contact the scientist on Cybertron.  
  
«It may take a bit—» Viewfinder whispered, but got immediately shushed  
  
«I don’t care! Do it quickly!» the jet yelled, before he turned towards the fliers in the room «You three go get Skywarp and tell him I want him here…» then shook the helm quickly «No. Wait. I’ll call him myself!» and opened the bond. He didn’t care if he was still confused and at the moment he was practically panicking. He needed to talk to Skywarp and decided it was time to stop keeping all these emotions for himself.  
  
«You three! Tell me instead how many warriors we have in the base at the moment» he said while he tried to contact Skywarp, who somehow didn’t answer right away. Was he still asleep? How? They felt him before... he seemed awake. «Are you defective?!» he shouted again, not even knowing who he exactly referred to «Answer!» and hissed, staring at the trine of seekers while talking.  
  
One of them shook the helm quickly and began to talk «A-ah yes. We have the… Stunticons in the base and the Combacticons too but.. T-they’re still… Well, not easily controlled… A-ah and at least six trines…. Seven with y-yours».  
When Skywarp answered, apparently even the scientist decided to do the same and the Air commander swore a couple of times in his native language. But decided to speak to his mate first. It would have taken less time.  
_-Starscream!-_ He.. whispered. Why did he whisper? Why did he sound so worried?!  
_-Skywarp come to the control room immediately. Immediately.-_  
_-C-can’t!-_  
  
And now Starscream almost felt the energon in his frame running cold. What did he mean he couldn’t? Did he get hurt?  
«Commander!» the Reflector called him. «Shockwave is—» apparently he was waiting for him to start talking  
  
«Hold on for a damn cycle!» he yelled at the screen, then focused again on the comm link  
_-Skywarp for spark fragging sake, where are you?!-_ he asked, feeling a wave of panic mixing with his brother’s one.  
_-In the battlefield… underground-_  
  
In the battlefield, underground. In the cave? Now, he needed to tell him what the frag was he doing in that cave, seriously. He was about to talk again, when his mate added  
  
_-There… There’s a mess in the surface! The seekers went crazy!-_  
  
Oh well, he knew about that too  
  
_-Rumble said they’re attacking everyone… even Astrotrain and Megatorn-_  
The Air commander hissed, cursing once again between his denta - _Well, stay where you are then! Don’t get yourself killed in that mess. I’m coming to get you out of this situation-_  
_-Starscream in three solar cycles these idiots went crazy! Motormaster started to invent scarp about someone wanting to poison you with your medicine-_  
The flier hissed and almost broke the first thing he could reach. Motormaster huh? That idiot was going to hear him. Oh if he was going to hear him now..!  
- _Stay where you are for spark sake. Don’t get yourself killed. I’ll get there soon-_ Then closed the comm link, throwing himself in front of the screen and staring at the purple mech who remained there silent, waiting for him to start talking. Good good. Let’s do things quickly, shall we?  
  
«Shockwave, I need you to come here immediately with your Triplechanger.» He ordered, his thruster tapping on the floor rhythmically as he tried to discharge some stress. He needed them immediately and the distance form the closest space bridge they built was quite a lot. They would have wasted… almost half a joor if they were fast and if he decided to leave NOW. But apparently he wouldn’t have moved without a logical explanation.  
«It is illogical for me to leave Cybertron, Starscream». Of course. Logic. Curse him and his dear logic.  
  
«We need to take five idiots and a drone to the freaking land, you idiot! You want the logic. Here’s the logic: if you don’t come here your beloved leader is dead!».  
Shockwave ramained silent for a nanoklik then seemed to be ready to talk again, but Starscream kept going «Listen up! I’m a treacherous mech famous for his disloyalty. Yes. But I’m also a damn strategist alone with a crew who suddenly decided to rebel and who needs to make up a strategy in the shortest time possible—» he stopped to take a deep intake and then added «The only site where we could get the energy we desperately need is under the attack of… about ten Autobots. Megatron, two triple changers and five Constructicons unable to combine are under attack of these ten glitches and at least five trines of Seekers who went completely crazy! Itt's eight aginst twenty-five glitches. Come the frag here and take your Triplechanger with you!»  
The Reflector stared at the seeker as he shouted orders to the other lieutenant. They never saw him so determined… since when did he act like an actual leader, seeming so sure of himself and at the same time so scared? So nervous, so worried and so much focused on making up a strategy in such a short time…? Megatron did really make him his Second in Command for a reason in the end…  
Shockwave seemed to be almost convinced and he probably started to call the Triplechanger, but he still didn’t look completely sure of what he was doing «He can’t fight. He’s not made to fight.» he said suddenly.  
  
Starscream almost swore a third time «I don’t want him to fight. Make him come here empty. Completely empty! He won’t be useful if he’s filled!» And then.. filled with what? On Cybertron they didn’t have so much energon. Hopefully he was already empty and didn’t need to lose time removing all the fuel.  
«You want to use him as a carrier?» Shockwave asked «For what? Six mechs? Starscream… I’ve no idea what you’re planning—» and he got interrupted once again.  
  
The red flier slammed his servos hard on the desk, knowing well that if he tried to touch the console he may have lost the communication and he didn’t need to lose more time. «What I’m planning is trying to save this excuse of a faction! Now DO what I tell you!» he growled, baring his sharp denta and hissing «When Megatron isn’t here…» he took a deep intake and shouted at the screen «I. AM. IN. COMMAND.»  
  
  
Ravage felt a stone falling close to him after a purple ray shoot in his direction and breaking the side of rocky wall instead. Ion Storm spotted him. He had to run as fast as he could, reaching Skywarp and leave immediately! He felt his paws getting weaker both for the fear and the adrenaline that filled ins small frame. But he couldn’t mess up now. Not that he had Laserbeak in his mouth. She was safe. She was going to be fine very soon!  
- _Skywarp!-_ he called _-Get ready to teleport! We need to get out of here!-_  
The flier quickly kneeled down. He knew Starscream told him to stay where he was but the sound of shooting and the cassette running… Suddenly, he saw a black spot approaching him and jumping in his arms. He looked down and saw the feline, holding another red cassette in his mouth… apparently he really found her! Before Ion Storm could turn around the corner, the purple jet teleported with a bright flash. The next thing he saw was the dark sky, then fire bullets everywhere, the so familiar noises of a fight, smoke and dust flying all around.  
«What the pit?» he murmured, immediately trying to get out of the way when someone he recognized as Blitzwing fell down right next to him. He’d been in a lot of battlefields but he never thought to be in such a mess! Hopefully the Autobots didn’t realize the seekers went completely crazy!  
- _Take her to Mixmaster!-_ Frenzy yelled through the comm link, but probably from very close, since he managed to see them in that mess, but preferred not to reveal his position.  
- _He’s busy fighting!_ \- the seeker tried to protest, trying to find the scientist in that mess of a battlefield.  
- _Well he’s the only one who can wake her up! See that stuff on her side?-_  
No, actually he couldn’t see a damn thing, Ravage did because he literally had her in the mouth but he couldn’t see anything on her side…  
_-Well, it’s a device that keeps her into stasis! She’s alive but that little box you see stops every signal she could send. Even her life signal!_ \- again, a box he couldn’t see.  
He could only imagine Mixmaster’s reaction when he asked him to fix the cassette, after he appeared out of nowhere.  
  
Yes.  
it would have been something like: “Skywarp, for spark sake, are you stupid? Do you think it's the right moment? Can’t you see I’m about to die??”  
  
Well, he reacted almost the same way he expected. The Constructicon was hidden behind a rock, protecting his leader who seemed to be leaking from the arm. At his sudden request and finding himself with a cassette in his servos, the scientist gave him a look as if he found himself in front of the most crazy mech in the universe, which wasn’t him. And maybe he was actually right.  
  
«Ah you don’t kill us?» It was Scrapper the one who talked first «Good. Good. At least we know that we don’t have to shoot at you or at the coneheads.»  
  
It was good to know that Ramjet’s trine remained loyal to Megatron. Well, of course… after hearing what they said, he should have expected that.  
In the sky he could see Acid Storm’s bright armor and the purple blasts of the fusion cannon trying to hit him. «You are a disgusting traitor!» He heard Megatron shout at the Rainmaker, who hissed when his wing almost got hit  
  
«No!» he yelled back «You are!».  
Ravage soon jumped out of the dark flier’s servos and started to run as fast as he could against the bright blue mech that came back outside, he opened his mouth and bit hard against the big wings, making him yell in pain and take off immediately, not understanding what exactly hit him.  
  
«What a fragging mess…» Scrapper huffed, leaning back on the rock that covered him and his mate.  
  
Skywarp couldn’t help but agree. «I need to…» he stopped, seeing a large white spot flying above their helm. That glitch… «I need to go fight too!» he managed to say «Or the Autobots won’t take much to understand they don’t need to shoot at seekers to frag us» and took off, smashing into the Autobot flier, trying to keep him distracted from the Constructicons on the ground. He felt a servo quickly grabbing him from a pede and pulling him down, making him dodge a fire bullet just in time  
  
«Who was the hard headed one?» a familiar voice asked him, and as he turned around he spotted the white trine leader smirking to him «didn’t they tell you to stay at the base?».  
  
Ion Storm knew what happened underground. Skywarp was there. Who else could have made that sound and that purple light? Now Laserbeak would wake up in any moment. Hook wasn’t there but there was Mixmaster… he could handle these things as well! If Soundwave felt her life signal again… if she decide to return to the base and help her master…! They should have killed her! He knew keeping secret a dead mech would have been harder but… but at least they wouldn’t have risked to have this situation instead! He immediately told Nova Storm. Soundwave needed to die... Now!  
  
The yellow jet moved his pede from the Spymaster’s helm. Laserbeak… free? He remained still for a few nanokliks, realizing only after what he did in that exact instant. The blue mech coughed and pushed on the floor with a servo. He heard that. Of course he did hear that. Would he manage to get rid of them faster than they could have got rid of Ratbat? It couldn’t be a risk they could take. He needed to die, Ion Storm was right.  
He quickly pointed a gun at him, growling. «Apparently somebody cheated, you blind freak.»  
  
Soundwave let his helm lie on the cold floor, stained with his own energon. He was dead. It was over. He was pulling the trigger, he was…!  
«What is this?!» A new voice reached his audio receptors. A voice and not the noise of the gun that the one in front of him was holding.  
Footsteps approaching him, and another sound… a third noise that echoed through the floor, reaching him. What was that? A stick… the steps were slow, unsteady… These thoughts… Yes.  
  
It was Thundercracker.  
«What kind of seeker tortures a mech, keeping one of his beloved assistants as a hostage in front of him?» the blue jet spoke again in that silence interrupted only by those slow steps.  
  
«A seeker who grew tired of this glitch…!» The Rainmaker was the only one who talked, answering to the blue flier. «And you’re protecting him now?! He hurt your brother! He forced him—»  
«No. He never forced a thing.» was the simple answer he received. «We know what he did.» he added «And it wasn’t forcing Skywarp to interface. All he did, was being close to our brother. Nothing more.» and silence fell in the quarters again. Nobody talked, nobody moved…  
Suddenly he heard Thundercracker speaking in a Voisian dialect with the Rainmaker. He didn’t understand much… from their thoughts he only understood that the elite seeker reminded to the other who he should have needed to talk with, if Skywarp would have found him dead.  
  
After that, he could see again. Ratbat quickly landed on his shoulder, rubbing his muzzle against his cheek. Everything remained the same. The only new thing was the blue jet standing in front of him, a stick in his right servo. Of course, he still had difficulties to walk around with that prosthetic. Despite that, he opened a servo and offered it to him.  
  
Soundwave coughed again, spitting a few more drops of purple fluid that slid down his chin, then he reached the dark servo, shaking. Once he got pulled back up on his pedes he saw Hook stepping inside and quickly taking him out of that room. Apparently Thundercracker knew that these seekers wouldn’t have refused to hurt a medic… they needed one of their own kind to clam down.  
  
  
When Starscream heard Thundercracker telling him that Soundwave was now safe in the Med bay, he was already done talking to Shockwave and was now headed to the Stunticons quarters. Reflector right behind him and keeping the right distance from him. He seemed so mad… and he didn’t just seem. He was. Oh how mad he was at the moment. But the fact all the seekers in the base were now under his control made him feel at least a little better.  
  
A little.  
Once he reached their quarters, the jet started to kick at the door, then began to punch it with all the strength he had at the moment, ending up creating a light dent against the flat metal. «Come out Motormaster!» He yelled, making the three little mechs behind him move a little further from him, feeling suddenly not that safe if they accidentally got too close.  
  
«What the frag do you want?!» they heard the truck complaining as heavy steps approached the closed door. Once it opened, the Stunticon leader looked down at the smaller flier in front of him. He was mad, of course. He probably didn’t expect to find the jet even more angry than how mad he actually was, and in fact his expression turned into a more shocked one when the red flier powered up his thrusters and smashed a servo against his faceplates, pushing him back in the room as he almost tripped, falling backwards.  
  
«You little gli—!» but he never managed to finish the insult, because a sharp sound shushed him immediately. The other 'cons in the room stared at the scene in silence. They were practically too shocked to say one word. Motormaster slowly brought a servo up to his cheek, feeling the dent and the four light scratches that those sharp digits left him when Starscream suddenly slapped him.  
  
«You…» he growled, already getting ready to jump on the smaller mech.  
  
«Quiet!» Starscream screeched so loudly he almost felt energon leaking down from his audio receptors «Do you want another one?! We can stay here all night and I can slap you until all your helm becomes blue!» he warned him.  
  
Wildrider covered his mouth a bit too late, before he could keep a small laugh to escape and the jet turned immediately to look at him  
  
«Oh you find it funny, you psychotic idiot?!» he hissed, walking over to him with that snarl on his faceplates.  
  
Such an expression… they weren’t used to. He wasn’t supposed to look so threatening. It never happened before. He hissed a second time at the grey mech, baring his sharp ivory denta in a silent warning, then abruptly turned around to stare at the truck who now looked at him with an expression mixed to confusion and rage.  
  
«You!» he growled «You’d better start to pray I won’t tell Megatron you’re the one who made this mess once we’re done with this ridiculous situation.» he then walked back over to him, looking up at the truck «You think I don’t know when someone’s putting people against each other to be the one who’d take control after? I’ve been trying to take control of the Decepticons since before you existed».  
  
Motormaster felt his arms shaking. Oh how much he wanted to destroy that seeker’s helm, breaking it in half…! «You….You—»  
«Don’t even start with threats. Don’t you dare!» Starscream screeched again, making the other back away «One word and you’ll find six trines of seekers crushing you into nothing but dust. Want to try to form Menasor? Oh try. Try. Try to attack then, good luck not destroying everything and flooding the base.»

Nobody talked. Not even Motormaster. Good.  
  
«Now you five idiots» he started to talk again, wings high in a sharp angle. He looked at the small black drone, probably the only sane one in this room… «You five idiots and your drone… come with me. We are going stop the mess you caused.» he walked around the room, trying to keep his voice loud but not that screeching tone he used before  
  
«You do what I say and when I tell you to combine to form Menasor, you’d better not do anything stupid.» he stopped to take a deep intake «It’s a warning, not a threat. I don’t think the five of you will be able to do much after you rebel in front of everyone. You want to attack me? You’re free to do it but I want to see how many chances to survive you will have, you alone against the Autobots».  
  
Silence again. Good.  
  
«Menasor isn’t invincible and you know it well.» he reminded them «That’s also why you’d better follow my every order when we're out there.»  
«Menasor doesn’t take orders.» The truck growled, stepping closer to the jet, who quickly looked up at him with a challenging glance  
  
«Then Menasor will fall like a giant idiot.» he answered «Is that what you want?».  
  
Motormaster soon looked away.  
  
«As I expected. Good.» he fluttered the wings and looked quickly at the rest of the mechs in the room. «Now come with me.»  
  
  
Hook quickly looked at the door as it hissed open and Starscream walked back inside followed by the Stunticons. Since when did he become so convincing? Had he somehow returned as strong and bold as he once was before the war? Apparently. The construction smiled lightly before he returned to work on the Communication Officer lying on the berth, under the optics of Ratbat, still resting on his master’s shoulder.  
Thundercracker was sitting at the desk, immediately standing up when Starscream walked over to him. He was so stressed and nervous… it was such a rare thing seeing him so focused on something. He suddenly pushed everything against the wall to have the table clean, then lied his servos on it to hold himself up.  
  
«Alright let’s make this clear and quick because I’m not losing more time!» he grumbled. «As soon as Shockwave arrives we go.» he decided, then grabbed a data pad and threw it on the desk, then told Thundercracker to summon Nova Storm. «This is the mountain where they started to dig» he started to explain, probably needing to put his ideas together, more than needing to talk to the others.  
  
He then grabbed a long sharp tool and started to move it along the longest line of the data pad «I guess the Constructicons moved up on the rock wall to have some sort of defense against the Autobots, who attacked from here probably…! I hope they did.» He then grabbed a bottle containing some kind of anesthetic, placing it close to the data pad and turning around. «You five will form Menasor and I don’t want you to try and attack the seekers, okay? You’ll never hit them with the sword, they’re agile»  
Motormaster huffed «And what do you want us to do?!»  
  
In that moment the yellow rainmaker stepped inside the Med bay, looking at the telepath on the berth and immediately at Starscream, who stared at him for a moment in silence, before he could look back at the truck «You must make them stop flying. You can do it, yes? You know what I mean right? Good.» he nodded and walked over to Nova Storm «You probably told your brothers to stop attacking but I understand that in that mess nobody listens to anyone anymore.» he looked down at the Reflector «How much before Shockwave arrives?» he asked them.  
  
«About… seven or eight Cycles» Viewfinder answered quickly.  
«Good. Hook you have ten cycles to stabilize Soundwave’s situation here.» the jet decided.  
  
«But … how can I be sure to…!» the crane tried to argue, after all he wasn’t sure he could make it in time!  
  
«Ten cycles, Hook. Twelve. Okay? Make them be enough.» and he looked again at Nova Storm after that «Twelve cycles, you take him out unless he tells you Soundwave’s literally dying. In that case don’t touch him. Leave him alone.» he looked at the crane again and smiled lightly. «If we managed to bring both Menasor and Devastator in the battlefield, Prime should make his soldiers retreat. I don’t think they’d take the risk. He doesn’t like taking too many risks».  
  
He then looked at Drag Strip and Dead End and approached them «You two. Who’s got the better aim?».  
  
The yellow car pointed at his mate quickly «His is much better than mine.» he said, for once not trying to seem better than the others. Must have understood they weren't playing around anymore this time.  
  
«Good.» Starscream nodded, looking at Dead End «then you’ll hold Shockwave, understood?».  
  
The mech tilted his helm «hold… how?».  
  
The flier stopped in front of his mate and sighed «Think about what I do when Megatron stays in alt mode, then use your imagination.»  
Thundercracker lied a servo on his trine leader’s shoulder «What about the base?» he asked him. Of course. He was going to remain there and he was worried. They didn’t have many warriors left now he was taking the Stunticons away.  
  
«You’ll be in control.» Starscream quickly answered and then huffed, knowing his brother wouldn’t have liked to hear the rest of what he had to tell him «We have six trines. Seekers aren’t so good when they fight in a closed space. In case of attack, use the Combacticons.» and as he expected, the blue jet crossed his arms, shaking the helm.  
  
«Combacticons? Those aren’t easy to control!» he started and the other immediately moved away  
  
«For spark sake Thundercracker I know! I know they’re not stable! But if the base gets attacked we can only hope they’ll fight for us.»  
They both would have started to discuss again, but one of the Reflectors ran inside «Shockwave’s here!» he shouted. Starscream picked up a cube of energon, swallowing the purple fluid and stretched his wings. It was time to go. He didn’t intend to leave Skywarp… and Megatron in the middle of that mess. This situation had to be solved now.  
  
The jet looked at Motormaster and quickly tilted his helm to the side, then turned around to brush his cheek against his mates pale faceplates, kissing him on his jaw before he could run out in the hallway.  
Shockwave was there and so was his triplechanger. It was so long ago that he met him back on Cybertron… Once the taller mech saw him, he smiled lightly at him and the jet smiled back.  
  
«Thank you for coming here in the end, Octane».  
  
The tanker shrugged before he quickly transformed «You make me do weird things Starscream.» and he could be right, yes. He was being used as a carrier instead of taking fuel around but at the moment they only had him left.  
Shockwave stepped closer to him «Starscream» he whispered «Shall we go?». Before he could receive an answer a familiar yellow flier followed by the Decepticon medic reached them  
  
«Soundwave’s conditions aren’t so bad. He’s stable» the crane said «I can leave now. The sooner we finish, the sooner I return». True,  and the red flier appreciated to know they would have had Devastator too.  
«Alright then!» he stretched the big white ailerons again, before he quickly turned around to look at the mechs behind him.  
  
Oh how much wanted to say this…  
  
«Decepticons!» he grinned «Transform and rise up!».

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this fanfiction Soundwave is blind ok? It's a headcanon I have... if it's actually canon, I didn't know. I didnt understand- Sorry!  
> And... Okay I'm done hurting Soundwave I promise. Now i'm done.
> 
> And Starscream is mad. Surprisingly, if you make him get mad, you make him start to work like the strategist he's supposed to be.
> 
> Also, at the beginning Hook and starscream are talking about empurata, you know, having face and hands removed. They are not mentioning it, they don't like to mention it.


	13. Back together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta Killuascreamer
> 
>  
> 
> Units of time:
> 
>  
> 
> 1 Nanoklik - 1 second
> 
> 1 Cycle - 1 minute and 30 seconds
> 
> 1 Joor - 1 hour
> 
> 1 Solar Cycle - 1 day
> 
> 1 Deca Cycle - 10 days
> 
> 1 Stellar Cyle - 1 year
> 
> 1 Vorn - 80 years

Despite how much every seeker in the universe felt uncomfortable in a closed place, far from the sky and surrounded by darkness, maybe he should have listened to Starscream when he told him to stay hidden underground.  
  
Skywarp had obviously fought in many battles before... like this one, a fight that was nothing less then a storm of flying bullets. Almost every fight could be considered such a mess. Every strategy that had been planned had to get abandoned sooner or later. There was no way a battle could always go precisely and programmed and planned. Even following every order, there always was something that had them losing control and needing to follow the commands of anyone who managed to give them quickly, in any attempt to counterattack and avoid getting them all confused, or worse killed.  
  
It wasn’t the first time he had no damn idea who to attack, he wasn’t fit for making strategies in such a short time! Starscream used to do that, he always managed to guide his trine even in dangerous situations. But despite how much he was used to this feeling of being lost, this time things managed to be new even for him, because he never found himself fighting against seekers who were once on his side and two enraged triplechangers who recognized him as an enemy too even if he never even thought about shooting at them… Ah and then Autobots. Right.  
  
Actually, the Autobots were almost the less dangerous enemy he found himself fighting against tonight.  
Except for that white flier! That damn white flier he decided to follow and not lose not even for an instant. He was giant. Those large wings could easily break on his own if he hit him with all his strength! Those wings… White and red. So similar to another pair of beautiful wings he knew very well.  
  
The purple jet dodged another attack, changing quickly back in his robot mode and found himself in front of the scientist, who stopped in the air not to hit against him. The seeker observed him, his spark pulsing and spinning with a rage that suddenly woke up and filled his whole frame with adrenaline once his crimson optics focused on the red insignia. That disgusting color that took the place of the darker purple brand he covered.  
He hissed in anger and without thinking he threw himself at the scientist, who quickly moved out of the way, making him almost hit Blitzwing instead. Honestly, the dark flier didn’t need to attract that solder’s attention, since he noticed how he started to shoot at every seeker he spotted. So he quickly teleported in a purple flash, turning back close to the white Autobot. They looked at each other for what felt like a joor.  
  
The smaller mech had no idea what the other has been thinking and he couldn’t care less. His emotions didn’t matter, his thoughts didn’t matter. All that mattered was that this scientist, this insult to all existing fliers, this living malfunction was the cause of his trine mate’s pain! He knew there has been other bots who made him suffer. Megatron for example, but this one here… Oh this one! He remembered the red seeker’s cries that night he got abandoned a second time by the same mech he loved so much.  
  
Thundercracker and Skywarp couldn’t recharge. Almost nobody managed to recharge probably, until the flier went to scream outside in the night. The Air commander behaved serious and just a little nervous as they turned back, then when everyone went to recharge, they all heard him screaming at least until he left and flew above the black water. He didn’t weep. He just yelled and screamed, as if someone started to tear off his wings. All because of being abandoned and betrayed by someone he considered a friend, someone he could trust in this universe.  
  
The black seeker hissed again «You ruined my leader with your betrayal!» he spat, baring his denta and breaking that silence between them. It didn’t matter if there was so much noise that his audio receptors hurt, it somehow felt so silent he needed to talk. That glitch remained under the ice for million of stellar cycles… and when they finally pulled him out, he decided to join the Autobots instead. Glitch. Because the Decepticons are bad? Oh poor little scientist! He still didn’t understand he was in a war huh?  
  
Starscream was devastated after he decided to leave them. They spent solar cycles trying to clam him down, trying to make him even react to what happened around him. He was so broken that even if he got pushed on the floor he almost didn’t even fight to get up again. But he was too stupid to see it. Too stupid to understand what pushed Starscream to take certain decisions.  
  
Like the one to fight and not stay hidden in his little laboratory, safe and sound. That time he really should have went to dig somewhere else with Rumble. He should have told him to dig in another place and leave that ice wall alone. This glitch should have remained buried underground, stuck in his ice prison where he belonged. Starscream lost him long ago, yes. But he learned to live with it, now he had to be reminded of his fallen friend only to lose him again. The thought made him so angry that he threw himself against the Autobot again, wanting more than anything to tear away those wings, those damn wings that didn’t have the right to share his trine leader’s colors.  
  
Who did he think he was?!  
«I’m a scientist! Not a monster!» the bigger mech shouted back, blocking the attack easily and pushing the Decepticon down to make him fall  
  
Skywarp teleported a second time out of his grasp, delivering a quick scratch on one of the big ailerons «Starscream is a scientist too!» he growled, only to get slapped away right after as the other shook him off easily. He was never going to give up. He was going to take that fragger down! He was going to make him suffer for what he had done. The seeker promptly grabbed onto a white leg to drag him down with him, making sure to sink his long claws as deep as he could into the warm metal.  
The two landed with a loud crash, attracting the attention of those around them. Skyfire immediately kicked the smaller mech away as he struggled to get up, his injured wing still shaking. The Decepticon immediately stood back up on his pedes, hissing and growling at his enemy. Skyfire wasn’t a skilled warrior, but he was bigger and heavier, while Skywarp was very light and not as strong. If he would have been a bit smaller, Skywarp would have already pinned him on the dusty ground to bite at his neck cables and tear them out.  
  
«Starscream is a soldier!» the Autobot glared down at him, as if to challenge him to deny it. But who could deny it? Starscream was a soldier indeed. The Air Commander to be specific.  
  
However he decided to fight and kept working as a scientist, because he wanted to be a scientist. He worked too hard to become one, despite everyone being against the idea. A flier working in a laboratory? It was ridiculous! But he managed to do it. This idiot thought he would have thrown away everything he did to become scientist?! He was a flier too for spark sake! How couldn’t he understand how difficult it has been for him to become one?  
  
Skywarp growled again, tilting his wings up menacingly «No!» He shook his helm «“Soldier”? That’s not what you said before!» he spat angrily «What you really meant to say was “Monster”, wasn’t it?!»  
Skyfire backed away, keeping a good distance between himself and that furious flier. He wasn’t looking at his face plates as he talked… he was staring at his chest, as if he was getting ready to strike and tear his spark out with those long purple claws.  
  
He coughed as another seeker fell on the ground close to him, raising more dust, but kept staring at the dark jet. «I…» he tried to talk again, but suddenly even simply standing on his pedes without losing balance became so difficult.  
  
That Decepticon in front of him was one of Starscream’s mates and the first time he saw him he didn’t seem so… aggressive and dangerous. He didn’t seem so serious… this only meant he was really angry and had enough of playing around. «I-I don’t kill!» he finally managed to answer, this time daring to look around quickly before returning to stare at the other, who now lied his servos on the floor, looking up at him and baring his sharp denta like an animal.  
  
He looked eerily scary, slowly crawling closer, claws digging in the dirt and mouth open just enough show those sharp fangs. He seemed ready to take off, using the servos to have good thrust to jump and reach his neck cables in any moment despite his height.  
  
«You don’t kill?» he asked, tilting the helm to the side, his bloody red optics focusing on the deep blue ones of his enemy… no... prey.  
  
  
It wasn’t the first time a certain Autobot saw Skywarp looking so dangerous and ready to kill. A rare image that looked way too unnatural to be true, a scene that made someone hope the flier was simply playing and faking it.  
  
Mirage saw that a few solar cycles before, when he remained in front of his trine leader and kept Optimus far from his injured mate, growling like a wild and dangerous animal. He was so determined and furious he managed to almost rip off the plating of Prime’s legs that time… and he didn’t even know if the Decepticon did actually notice how much strength he put into that simple attack, that was only meant to keep Optimus and his two soldiers away. Just a warning. If he ever decided to kill… how powerful could his attacks possibly become?!  
  
Seekers were known to be fragile. However, angry seekers were incredibly fast and dangerous. As if they suddenly stopped fearing anything that could have scared them or hurt them, focusing all their strengths on those claws.  
  
Yeah… now he noticed, he didn’t shoot a single bullet. It almost seemed like they didn’t want to waste energy aiming and remaining still for too long. They almost behaved like that energy had to get used to attack immediately. And he was afraid Skywarp decided to do just that now…!  
  
Mirage turned invisible and moved to tackle the seeker before he could attack Skyfire, but as he tried to move, he got hit by something very hard close to his legs. Thank Primus he couldn’t be seen and hit with more precision. As the smoke got blown away, he found himself in front of Thrust, who quickly moved back up on his pedes and shook the helm  
  
«You’re lucky I’m not Ramjet» he grumbled «He’s more of an expert than me in these things!»  
  
Indeed, if that conehead would have hit him on the chest with that speed, he could have seriously been injured, if not killed, but he would have never admitted that. Mirage pulled out the gun, looking quickly behind the dark red jet who only grinned  
  
«Don’t you dare interrupt a seeker while he’s hunting, glitch. That is Skywarp’s battle.» then powered up his thrusters and jumped on the smaller bot who quickly moved out of the way, feelings his legs trembling from the previous impact.  
He rolled in the dust, trying to move away from the bigger mech, who once again charged him and luckily only managed to hit way less violently against his back. He was risking way too much for his tastes! If he would have literally flew against him in alt mode he could have shattered his back strut.  
  
Enough distractions, he couldn’t afford to test his luck any longer! Skyfire could manage with that flier alone, hopefully someone else could helped him… But in this mess he couldn’t even tell who they were fighting.  
  
Those seekers seemed to be completely crazy, had they all burnt their processors? He saw some attacking Astrotrain, taking him down and biting on his wings. And was that green flier busy trying to kill Megatron? But the conehead in front of him was attacking him at the moment and he seriously had no damn time to lose thinking about what those mad mechs were thinking about and why they all began to fight anything that moved… all without using their guns too.  
  
They loved using guns. Now he only saw them throwing themselves at their prey with bared denta, scratching, tearing and biting like ferocious beasts.  
  
They completely lost their sanity!  
  
  
Skyfire took another step back, trying to keep the smaller flier far away, but the teleporter seemed to be  ready to jump, and he wouldn’t have let him ruining his attack «I-I don’t kill, no!» the white mech stuttered, wishing to be left alone or that someone else would have came to save him. He wasn’t sure how much his aim would have helped with a mech so tense… who was able to teleport.  
  
Skywarp grinned, fluttering the wings in amusement «This is a war, you know?» he hissed «You will learn to kill…or you will die!» and with a growl, he powered up his thrusters, jumping at the bigger bot’s chassis, sinking his denta deep into his shoulder. If the other wouldn’t have moved in time, he could have easily reached those neck cables. But the scientist moved away, trying to take off. They both flew for not even five nanokliks and fell down, rolling on the ground.  
  
Skyfire quickly tried to fly once again but Skywarp teleported on his back, piercing his claws in those large appendages and keeping him still on the ground screaming in pain, only to get smacked away when the bigger mech finally decided to fight back and with the elbow, managed to hit his assaulter against his waist.  
  
He then tried to crawl away and take off, hiding in that mess of fliers… at least up there he could somehow avoid getting killed! He knew the sky was even more dangerous if possible, but maybe he could have had a bit more chances to survive. This one wanted to kill him, that he made painfully clear. But of course, he didn’t even need to turn around to see the seeker was already chasing… no, hunting.  
  
He felt four sharp claws grabbing and scratching at the plating of his left pede, right were they grabbed before, drawing more energon out. This one could teleport! It was obvious every time he always felt this close! The Autobot quickly kicked the servo away and kept moving, trying to at least reach his teammates, if they would have been even three, Skywarp wouldn’t have managed to fight this easily.  
  
Or so he hoped...  
He gasped when a bright blue flier fell right next to him, hitting against his already damaged wing almost breaking it. But at least that made him look up, only to see a second seeker and move immediately out of the way. This one was a white one, flying down at full speed in his jet mode, chasing down the other and from what he could tell in that moment, he seemed to have all the intentions to destroy the blue one.  
Where was he?? He had fought in other battles, that was true. But they never became so violent… so confusing! He never fought these mechs who didn’t just look dangerous, they were making him shake in fear from how scary they were acting this time.  
  
  
In that mess, with so many fliers and grounders beating each other, nobody noticed the two jets and the big tanker approaching the battlefield. It was still dark and everyone was too busy to spot the new Decepticons who joined the fight.  
  
Starscream felt Shcokwave’s servo tightening against his white plating as soon as he noticed what a bad situation the cause was dealing with at the moment. They easily spotted the green armor of the five constructions first, they could be seen from up there and they all noticed pretty quickly they weren’t in a good situation at all.  
  
They were all hiding behind the rocks at the base of the mountain, not daring to expose themselves and seeming way too tired to fight with physical attacks. In the sky instead the situation looked even worse: so many jets moving around without any grace, without a strategy, they just hit against each other or who they recognized as their enemy. Like Astrotrain, Blitzwing, Ramjet’s trine and Megatorn.  
  
Starsream hissed and transformed in the air, keeping Shockwave against his back, this time holding against one of his shoulder struts. What a disgusting scene in front of them. Those were his seekers and they looked like a bunch of uncontrolled and hungry insecticons… hissing and screaming like defective drones. “How disgusting…” he thought as he felt his spark aching at that sight of his army of fliers lost in that ridiculous mess they made… and saying that they were thinking to be doing something good for their Winglord…  
«Octane» He called, trying to keep calm and relax despite how much the image just made him feel like collapsing «Go let them out!» he ordered, following him with his optics. He saw the other hitting against a few jets, but they got easily pushed away as he approached the ground to let the six mechs jump down.  
But something else distracted the air Commander. Two spots in the sky, black and white. Like a crow chasing a dove in the air. He growled once he recognized a big familiar white flier, while he was being chased by a smaller mech, black and purple.  
  
Idiot. Idiot! What was he doing up there?! Didn’t he tell him to stay underground?! No. He decided to come out and chase Skyfire to… to kill him?  
  
The seeker clenched his denta and his wings drooped low for a moment. He could recognize when a seeker hunted to kill. No. This wasn’t good. He felt a wave of anger reaching him through the bond before. Warp was furious, he considered the scientist responsible for his depression… he never thought his trine mate could hate someone this much. He never thought Skywarp could have been able to feel such a strong emotion that seemed to have turned him into a machine that only followed one directive: KILL.  
  
«Nova!» he shouted as he quickly snapped out of the shock «Go push my mate down!» and the yellow flier transformed as well, Hook kept holding tight against his bright plating and focusing on his mates.  
  
«And Hook?» the rainmaker asked, confused. He was supposed to take him down to his gestalt mates so they could form Devastator- but the answer came immediately.  
  
Starscream flew down, quickly grabbing the medic by a servo and pulling him with himself «Go push my mate down!» he ordered again, feeling his wings struggling to keep balance, having to stand the weight of another mech, almost as big as Shockwave.  
  
He was newly repaired but he shouldn’t have even started to fly too much, taking so much weight on his light frame too. He didn’t take his medicine and only took a small ration of regular energon before leaving the base. He was daring a bit too much, and even Hook tried to protest, but at the moment he was too focused on not losing control to pay attention to his words.  
  
He reached the ground faster than he expected and quickly pulled his wing up once again not to crash. As soon as he spotted the other constucticons, he released the crane and turned back up, powering his thrusters and turning around, ready to reach Menasor as soon as he would have formed.  
  
The medic landed on the floor and quickly reached his leader, currently busy holding a servo against his arm to cover a big hole that a bullet managed to open in his dented plating.  
  
«Scarpper!» his second called him, quickly laying his digits under his chin and pulling his head backwards to look into his visor. He was tired, almost exhausted, covered in ground and gravel. His arms were shaking and he tried to take deep intakes to keep some energy, but obviously failing to do so.  
  
«We must form Devastator» the medic struggled to tell him. He hated the idea to just let his dear leader leak so much without paying attention to his wound. He wanted to at least close it, but there really was not time now. Starscream was right when he said that even the smallest mistake would have doomed them all «You can resist, I know it» and sighed in relief when the other nodded quickly, calling everyone through their bond and ordering to transform.  
  
Almost in the exact same moment, the white tanker let his plating shift away to make the Stunticons come out, all lading in the dust already in their vehicle mode, except for Motormaster, who didn’t waste a moment to command to his mates to combine. Roller car, the other except for their leader who remained in robotic mode, was the first one who jumped against the truck’s chassis and transformed. All the others shortly followed. No one noticed the new arrivals in time and when they did it was already too late to do anything.  
  
Both Menasor and Devastator suddenly appeared out of nowhere in less than ten nanoklikcs, everyone seemed too shocked and for an instant they all stopped moving and shooting, staring at the two giant Decepticons, who instead looked quickly at each other as one greeted the other with a silent grin.  
Starscream was pretty much the only one who moved as the time suddenly seemed to have stopped in the battlefield and quickly reached Menasor, dashing through the cold air of the night to land on his shoulder. He soon felt Shockwave’s firm grip releasing his shoulder as he jumped down, transforming into his alternate mode and getting promptly grabbed from the big combiner as the seeker had told him to do.  
  
The Second in Command quickly reached the giant’s shoulder, unable to keep his balance after the big effort he did holding up two heavy mechs, so he simply let himself fall on his knees, grabbing tightly against the hard plating of the combiner. What was about to happen was going to be very intense and he had no intention to fall off. He quickly looked for his trine mate and was glad to see Nova Storm flying in his direction.  
  
Skywarp got distracted enough to allow Skyfire to escape and get tackled on the ground by a bright yellow seeker.  
He hissed and growled, spitting the ground that got in his mouth as they landed. Well… as he got his face plates shoved down in the dirt by that glitch!  
  
«You disgusting piece of scarp!» he growled as soon as he recognized the rainmaker, who quickly grabbed onto his black appendages to keep him distracted just enough not to allow him to teleport so easily  
  
«Skywarp you must stay down!» he shouted.  
  
Starscream wouldn’t have forgiven him if he couldn't manage to keep his mate out of trouble now. Megatron would have already had his bright wings removed for what his trine did that night, he was sure about it… no need to earn another punishment from the red seeker now. So as soon as he felt the jet underneath trying to struggle, he just pushed down harder. That would have surely earned him a bite or a scratch from the teleporter, but it would have been way better than what the Air Commander would  do to him.  
Blitzwing and Astrotrain both ended in his same situation as Skywarp almost a nanoklik after if not in the exact same moment. They felt someone grab them from the back of their throat cables and both got pushed down on the hard ground. They both easily stood up and the silver triple changer turned around immediately, ready to break in half whoever made them crash for the seventh time that night, but both him and his mate remained quiet and relaxed when they saw who stood in front of them.  
  
«Octane, buddy!» Blitzwing suddenly seemed to have forgotten about the fact that they were currently in the middle of a battle, anger leaving place to a mix of surprise, relief and excitement «You finally join us-!»  
  
The tanker quickly shushed him, a way more worried expression on his pale face plates «Yes yes, I’m glad to see you too but now stay down or we’re gonna risk to get separated again-» and pushed them both down once again «In a slightly worse way» He added.  
  
The bigger mech tilted his helm «What?!» he still didn’t understand why the seekers suddenly turned stupid, now Octane jumped out of nowhere… and now apparently they were going to risk to die? Again?! He would have said that was something new but it would have been a lie.  
  
«Just wait two or three nanokliks, Astro!» the tanker whispered quickly, laying low next to them and using an arm to shield his face plates as he shuttered his optics.  
  
Okay this was getting a bit too creepy, so they both imitated him. Astrotrain didn’t really know what to expect but quickly pulled the two triple changers close to himself and shielded them as best as he could with his larger wings. Just in time it would seem.  
  
  
That's when everything happened. It was way too quick for everyone to react.  
  
Devastator suddenly changed both servos into giant drills, hitting them against each other with a loud and metallic noise that echoed through that valley. Then suddenly activated them and stuffed his new deadly weapons inside the ground, digging deep and dragging them on the surface, tearing out rocks and dust as the silence broke into an unpleasant uproar when the earth began to crumble underneath the green giant.  
  
In the exact same moment Menasor moved his wrist quickly, twisting the servo holding his long and sharp sword, spinning it in the air as Starscream had ordered. Energy built into the gleaming blade with a glowing blue bolt before getting twisted in the sky, cutting through the air.  
  
Immediately this generated a strong wind that only after a nanoklick turned into a violent tornado. So powerful that it easily dragged up all the sand and rocks that Devastator kept pulling out with his drills and began to make them spin in the air.  
  
The Autobots and Decepticons on the ground that weren’t holding themselves down tight enough got pulled away by the fury of that storm, flew for a few nanokliks or even longer, dented and slapped around with the flying debris only to be released from that grasp of wind and just to get dragged back on the floor.  
  
The seekers suddenly found themselves lost in a sandstorm that didn’t just contain sand, but sharp stones and gravel that already began to hit against their soft appendages, denting and scratching them. They didn’t have a leader, they weren’t following anyone and seemed practically lost. A few tried to land immediately and only they managed to reach the ground without too many problems. All the others got blown away, losing control and crashing in the dirt. Some got sand and dust stuffed in their vents and as they began to overheat so they simply decided to power down the thrusters, resulting with them going limp and getting thrown in the air before eventually falling down and rolling on the surface as that powerful wind dragged them like lifeless frames.  
  
The green combiner wasn’t affected by the storm and could easily move around with no problems. His grin grew wider as he kept digging, drawing out more debris like a machine that had no intention to stop unless someone made him.  
  
Menasor instead laughed in amusement, his voice getting blown away in that tornado and at the same time echoing trough the air. He smirked and pointed Shockwave at the Autobots he spotted not too far from him, who like the fliers had no damn clue what was happening and how it could have happened before anyone noticed.  
  
The scientist charged up energy and when the barrel hissed, surrounded by a purple charge that crawled over his plating like thousands of thin and moving cracks, released it in a long glowing violet ray that hit on the ground, making more rocks get caught in the tornado.  
  
The smaller bots got blown up screaming, trying to to grab on something before getting pushed violently on the ground or up in the air by that merciless cyclone. The others who managed to move away in time quickly ran to go and pick up their injured companions, but it was when Shockwave began to get charged up a second time and when Devastator was commanded to attack them physically that even in that storm and earthquake caused by the combiner’s steps it could be heard Prime’s voice calling the retreat.  
Nobody else has been fighting. Just the two giants and Shockwave. This battle stopped only after not even five cycles from the moment they arrived! They both worked perfectly to have every mech down on the ground to easily spot the real enemy to attack them in a situation where if they dared to stand up to fight back, they would have got blown away.  
  
  
The Autobots quickly became distant and no longer a threat. The only ones left standing were just these combiners, unaffected by the storm and protecting all the other Decepticons who lied low on the ground, still trying to hold tight against anything that could have prevented them to get caught by the tornado once again.  
  
They had no idea what was going on, they thought that could have even been their last fight. No one knew a thing. Astrotrain and the other triplechangers were the heaviest and had less problems remaining down.  
  
The carrier dared to online an optic to spot two familiar small frames hiding under his arms, one red and the other yellow. Soundwave’s winged spies. They surely have been lucky to find him there. Those small cassettes would have got easily blown away if they remained out there, and in fact the smaller fliers got dragged in the dust, rolling around and slapped with stones and sand on their soft appendages, until they eventually managed to grab on something that would have prevented them from getting pushed away.  
  
Skywarp instead managed to see everything that happened as he lied the whole time on his back, Nova Storm laying over his cockpit to keep him down. He managed to hide his face plates as best as he could with his arms, but he could see the two giants fighting and making all the Autobots leave and those crazy seekers land to stop them from attacking. He slowly felt himself falling into stasis, just like many others. He looked up at the sky, covered with dust and then slowly offlined the optics. How lucky he has been to stay in such a position: if he would have died instead, the sky was going to be the very last thing he would have seen. A seeker couldn’t ask for a better vision before having their spark extinguished.  
  
Megatorn assisted in the whole battle, that could have been considered more as a rescue if he had to be honest.  
  
In the exact moment they arrived, the battle was won. But instead of collapsing, he remained awake the whole time. He did fall down a hill as the storm started, getting dragged down by the wind as well, but luckily grabbed onto a rock and managed stay there. He saw how the two combiners worked in sync, cooperating and Starscream up on the younger of the two, shouting orders at them.  
  
Starscream didn’t look like a mech who’s been kept in the med bay for all that time. He seemed so full of energy that he even wondered if that was really him. But… how could he be wrong? Of course it was him. Megatron could have recognized him anywhere. Even if him and all his fliers decided to get themselves painted plain black.  
  
That was Starscream and he couldn’t have mistaken him with someone else!  
  
When the Autobots left, it took that storm at least half a joor to leave. And he waited, he stood there, waiting until the gravel began to rain from the sky, the tornado slowly turning just into a strong wind. The rocks that has been collected from the floor fell and crumbled into smaller pieces. The air blew away all the dust and sand, as if it washed away all the adrenaline and fury of the battle, leaving the quietness and peace of an empty battlefield.  
  
The silver grounder slowly stood up, feeling the wind brushing ground and debris off his shoulders and out of the seams of his armor. He stretched lightly and started to look around, spotting all his warriors laying on the hard ground, some awake and slowly looking around in confusion, while some were still fainted. The only Decepticons who were standing on their pedes were the combiners and his two first lieutenants.  
  
It seemed Shockwave was there too now, he came from Cybertron to help them. He was standing next to Menasor and looking around, probably searching for him. Yes, he always worried about his health. But the warlord’s attention didn’t remain on him for too long. No. He was now looking up at his Second in Command.  
  
There he was.  
  
He gracefully stepped down from the giant’s shoulder and landed soft like a feather next to the scientist. His armor was still shiny and bright despite the sand that covered it, sand that got slowly blown away as he took a deep intake and walked in the silent battlefield, every seeker who managed to wake up to see him remained quiet, following the air Commander’s form with their optics and no sound coming out of their open mouth.  
  
The night was over and the red star of this planet began to rise, vermilion and light golden stripes decorated that dark blue sky, the pale constellations slowly faded away. Those crimson reflections caressed the seeker’s frame, shading those elegant and pristine appendages in a scarlet light.  
  
He was beautiful! Megatron realized how perfect that image was, an image that lasted just a nanoklick but that he would have never managed to erase from his processor.  
  
The Winglord of Vos standing proud after a victory, the two giant combiners behind him and guarding the filed to prevent a second unexpected attack and all those soldiers looking at up at him, his beautiful Air Commander walking in the dust as the night died and a star raised behind him in a flaming red sky.  
  
Those who woke up stared at him with a mix of shock and admiration, even the triplechangers, who slowly began to sit up and stretch, shaking the ground off of their frames. He left the base after he has been kept in the med bay for solar cycles, with no more than ten mechs and programmed everything to win this battle anyway.  
  
A battle that in that confusion had only him and those mechs against everyone else who lost the control and against the Autobots. Megatron knew they were looking at him like that, thinking exactly those things. Because he was feeling the same way at the moment. He suddenly spotted a red stain flying towards him and smiled slightly when Laserbeak landed on the arm he immediately moved it up to let her stand there.  
  
He knew she loved doing that to greet him every time he left and then returned. She shuttered her golden optics when he slowly caressed the flier under her beak with a digit. Somehow she seemed to be looking for way more attention than usual. Maybe she got injured? It was weird she hadn't simply turned back to Soundwave instead.  
  
Now he thought about that... his communication Officer was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he got blown away too? He highly doubted that. He couldn’t be dead. Or she wouldn’t be there with him if that as the case, she would have been by her master’s corpse. As he looked around to find him, he saw two other cassettes running at him, Soundwave’s twins. They seemed to be half panicking from the look on their face plates.  
«Megatron!» the blue spy yelled, stopping in front of him and almost tripping when the brother stopped right next to him, hitting against his side with an arm «Don’t get mad at Starscream, please wait! This time he didn’t mess up anything! It wasn’t—» he coughed out some dust and took a deep intake before talking «It wasn’t him planning all this mess that happened tonight»  
  
The taller mech tilted lightly the helm and looked around the field, some seekers who began to wake up close to him, draggged themselves away with a panicked whimper, but he did nothing to hit them. He was confused and had no damn clue what just happened, honestly it could have been anything at this point.  
  
A virus, a problem only seekers had… anything, really. He was just sure it wasn’t something the red flier planned… why bothering to save them if he planned all that?  
  
«I’m not going to blame him for this-» he said calmly, looking back at his Second in Command as he turned around to talk to the green combiner.  
  
«Devastator!» Starscream called him «I need Hook and the others.» he explained, then twitched his big ailerons. «Octane!» he called «Octane come here!»  
  
The tanker stretched his wings, looking at his mates before shrugging «I’m guessing he still got some work for me» and immediately reached the smaller flier.  
  
Before Devastator could turn back into the six separate mechs, he looked quickly over to Menasor, aware of the younger combiner’s stress and knowing he was about to say something.  
  
«This... last time Menasor sees Devastator..?» Menasor sighed, a thumb rubbing lightly against the silver blade of the sword, refusing to look at his friend, who simply shook the helm  
  
«You think he’ll punish them so much you won’t return anymore?» Devastator smiled lightly «You still have a lot to learn. You’re loyal, Menasor. Megatron is not gonna kill you just because they’re not as loyal!»  
  
The other remained quiet for a moment «Megatron still going to hurt them?» he asked  
  
«Yes, probably. But he won’t hurt you. If there’s someone who cares about us as mechs and not as machines, that’s Megatron.» then added «And Starscream too it would seem» before he quickly patted on the other’s shoulder and turned back into the six units, while Menasor remained there, still guarding the battlefield.  
  
Hook was the first one who talked as the two fliers walked over to them «Starscream I know you said you needed me but my leader’s leaking… he’s been leaking for all this time.»  
  
The small flier quickly nodded and pointed at Scavenger instead «You» he called him «You were here all the time working with your leader… you and you» he then pointed at Long Haul «Tell me, did you manage to convert the resources you extracted already?»  
  
The slim mech nodded, twisting his shovel tail a couple of times «Not all of it, there’s still some, but the biggest part has been converted, we need the cubes but…» he got interrupted as the Air Commander kept talking  
  
«No need for cubes, take Octane there and fill him up. He’s empty and he got a lot of space there. Quickly. Him and Shockwave must return to Cybertron in… in…. as soon as he’s full.» he decided.  
  
The tanker sighed, but transformed into his ground mode and followed the two green mechs. He was a little said since he just managed to return with Astrotrain and Blitzwing. «Damn it» the latter huffed, having heard what the jet said.  
  
Shockwave instead began to help Hook repair Scrapper, he was a scientist and not a medic, but he was quite the expert about medical duties too.  
  
  
Skywarp slowly began to wake up as well, onlining his optics and feeling a light breeze caressing the face plates that got scratched before by all the sand and gravel. He heard a noise coming from behind him and he quickly tilted the helm backwards, twisting his neck cables and spotting two white legs and a pair of red wings attached to them.  
  
He smirked and looked up to see an upside-down Ramjet that stood there, staring down at him, followed by his trine mates «Hey RJ-» he murmured.  
  
«You suck at fighting» the other teased him, pushing Nova Storm away from him «You faint for some wind?»  
  
The purple seeker huffed but didn’t bother to answer him, since he was probably just joking. «Did we win…?» Skywarp asked with a voice that almost made himself laugh. He sounded so confused and dazed.  
  
Dirge approached him, looking down at him too and smiling as he looked back at his trine leader before the white flier helped him to stand up «You think we’d be here talking so calmly if the Autobots won?»  
  
  
Starscream smiled softly as he spotted his mate being helped to stand up by the coneheads, but didn’t say anteing to him yet. Everyone else began to wake up too and he quickly powered up his thrusters to make everyone look at him.  
Megatron didn’t understand what the jet said as he obviously called all his seekers’ attention. He spoke in his native Vosian dialect and his fliers began to slowly pull themselves up on their pedes once he finished, some looked around and those who spotted the silver grounder observed him for a few nanokliks, wings drooping low against their back, shaking in fear.  
  
What did he say to them? He had no idea, but seemed to have put everyone back in order quite easily and now he stood there, still and stretching his wings, as if to discharge some nervousness he still held in his spark. Well he couldn’t blame him for being nervous. He led an attack after solar cycles he kept those wings still, it must have felt a bit weird.  
When a moment later the flier spotted him and his optics suddenly locked on his own, Megatron saw those beautiful wings fluttering for a moment and his Second’s face plates relaxing into an expression he could barely describe.  
  
He seemed… calm, but nervous at the same time. Not tense, but a little hesitant. Then he powered up his thrusters and flew over to him, he didn’t dash on full speed, but slowly and calmly arrived next to his leader. He felt the smaller frame shiver with a hint of fear as he landed. Laserbeak quickly flew away after her yellow brother and leaving the two mechs there.  
«Seekers!» Starscream called again, but not even needing to, since everyone was already focusing on him. His vocals struggled not to tremble now he stood so close to his leader, but shook quickly the helm and kept talking «You swear your loyalty to me once, and even after vorns and I’ll always come save you from these situations you get yourselves into. As a Winglord should always do.» he opened his wings wide for a moment, nobody dared to interrupt him.  
  
«But I did not come here to save this Faction for myself. I didn’t do it to gain your respect. If you want to be loyal to me it’s your own choice. I never wanted to make myself get feared and respected by those who insulted me through all these stellar cycles». He took a deep intake and raised his wings up once again «I did it for Megatron.» he said, turning around and pointing at his leader with a wing «And if you want to be loyal to me, you’ll be loyal to him!». The silver grounder couldn’t… believe it. «The leader of the Decepticons.» Did he really… say that?! His first lieutenant couldn’t ever stop to surprise him. He couldn’t be faking this. He honestly had the power of an army of seekers who could have simply destroyed him. Why rescuing him? Why…? How did this…?  
  
The fliers looked at each other, at first they remained quiet. Then someone slowly bent on his knee, and everyone else slowly did the same, wings laying low in a sign of submission.  
  
«All hail Megatron» Someone almost murmured and immediately after someone else repeated it, a bit louder. Soon all the seekers and every other deception repeated that sentence.  
  
It made him feel powerful again, in command and perfectly able to deal with any situation once again. But it made him feel even more powerful as he realized what a strong mech was his Second. How charismatic and skilled he could be when he wanted to take things seriously and work properly. The small flier slowly turned around to look up at him. He was still nervous and obviously scared, but approached him anyway, standing closer and smirking up at him, as if to say “See what I did? I did it all by myself.”  
  
Ah yes. That was his Starscream. That little arrogant and proud seeker he chose as his Air Commander and Second in Command. Not the scared soldier who kept shaking and hiding as he approached him  
  
«My lord…» his Second started, wings fluttering again «We… We’ll need to turn back to… give you explanations. Since I… don’t think I have all the details-» His voice was still much lower and not as steady as when he spoke to his fliers.  
  
Megatron nodded slowly then looked at the warriors in front of him «We return to the base immediately!» he ordered. «Astrotrain will only carry the seriously injured soldiers and the Constructions.» He decided, seeing how tired the carrier was.  
  
He usually remained hidden and waited for the others to stop fighting, but this time he had to fight too. Rumble and Frenzy quickly ran over to the triple changer, calling him. He was exhausted and probably didn’t even hear what Megatron said in that moment  
  
«Hey!» the red cassette giggled «Wake up, Speedwagon! You gotta carry us back to the base!».  
  
The silver mech grumbled and stretched his wings «You are not injured…!» he huffed.  
  
Frenzy crossed his arms «Ah, you only hear what you want to hear then?» he murmured as the triple changer stood up once again to slowly walk over to the Constructions.

Menasor separated back into six units as well now and the Stunticons looked at each other. They wanted to leave them there? Really?  
  
«I want two trines of seekers to get those grounders and take them back to the base!» Megatron ordered, and Starscream smirked at the three Rainmakers who looked up at him with a nervous expression. They were tired too actually, but they wouldn’t have dared to say a word, since the red seeker just came out of the med bay and all by himself he managed to carry both Shockwave and Hook.  
  
«You heard the leader» the green flier gulped, as he looked back at his mates «We’re lucky if he doesn’t move us from the seeker’s quarters to the torture chambers».  
Six fliers quickly approached the Stunticons and made them climb up on their back, Sunstorm quickly flew there and picked up the much lighter drone, leaving the others to his mates or to the rainmakers.  
  
When Bitstream looked up at Motormaster, he grimaced and bit his lip. «U-uh…» he turned around to look at his purple mate, busy helping Dead End to get up on his back. «I can’t… carry him-» he whispered.  
  
«Oh don’t complain you. I gotta travel with the jinx» he murmured right before the dark red and black mech huffed «Sooner or later we’re all gonna get there. Very soon. Dying in a crash just means dying a little bit sooner for me». Hotlink grumbled and hissed at him «Listen up. You gotta add another curse or you’re done?»  
«Motormaster goes with Astrotrain» Megatron said, obviously aware of the truck’s dimensions. As much as he was mad at those fliers, he couldn’t deny the fact there was no way those small frames would have managed to carry such a heavy mech.  
  
Motormaster really wasn’t sure what was the worse thing, staying with all the Constructicons, or being ridiculous trying to climb on a small jet who would have barely managed to survive if he got crushed under his weight.  
  
Ramjet suddenly grinned and shouted «No no no! I’ll do it! Me! Me!» but his mates quickly caught him from his arms, holding him back «Then let’s not say I don’t do sacrifices for the cause!» he added.  
  
Dirge quickly pulled him back, grumbling and Thrust tried to hide his face plates, ashamed  
  
«Stop it! You hit your head too hard this time, you idiotic—»  
  
Skywarp smirked. Ooh, so RJ was into big mechs who destroyed stuff? Somehow he couldn’t be… surprised and actually believed the conehead felt perfectly fine and was being very serious instead.  
  
A sudden purring and a soft meow made him jump lightly as the black feline climbed up on his shoulder and slid in the dark seeker’s arms. He had no idea where Ravage hid all that time. Probably under someone or managing to dig a hole in time and hide there, either way, he was clean as always and snuggled comfortably against the flier’s cockpit, then offlined the optics and remained there, as if he belonged there and as if those arms were made just for him.  
  
Motormaster quickly stepped into the shuttle and sat down, ignoring the green mechs' stares. Hook was the only one who didn’t look at him as he kept working on a black injured flier, but the Stunticons leader saw that smirk on his face plates. He wasn’t wearing a mask like the others so he could see that very well. Apparently it would seem the crane wanted him to see it!  
As they took off he expected them to jump on him and break him in half, since it was quite obvious the medic told to his mates what he did to him. Which was nothing okay, but he did threaten him.  
  
Scrapper walked over to him, stared in his purple optics and then talked «You really are stupid.» he simply said, with such a serious tone he meant every word he pronounced and didn’t just spat an insult at him for what he did to his Second.  
  
The truck growled but knew better than to start a fight. In his short life he couldn’t remember a moment when he felt so humiliated, insulted by these smaller mechs…! Megatron didn’t even know about the whole story… Devastator was right. Menasor was safe. They weren’t. Oh this travel was going to be a very very long travel.  
  
  
Megatron greeted the purple scientist as he climbed back up on his triple changer, both directed to the nearest space bridge to return to Cybertron immediately. In such a short time they even managed to deliver him such a big amount of energon while not even two joors before he wondered if he managed to end this battle in a way that wouldn’t have had his faction completely pulverized.  
  
The last two Constructions kept working to convert even the last resources into fuel. Ramjet’s trine waited for them to both be able to pick up some cubes to take to the base, and the two constucticons as well of course!  
  
The silver grounder then waited for Skywarp to greet his Second as well. They both whispered to each other in Vosian dialect, the purple jet then quickly rubbed his face plates against his trine leader’s dark cheeks and, only to jump away and teleport back closer right after, pressing his mouth on the red seeker’s chin to deliver him a soft kiss and then added another on his lips this time. Starscream reached over and caressed the black ailerons before his mate could take off, for real this time.  
  
«Starscream» he called him, making his Second shiver as he turned around to look up at him. He couldn’t tell what he’d been feeling in that moment. Not at all. At first he seemed to be smirking, proud and feeling superior as always, but it didn’t take him much to realize how nervous he was actually feeling inside… and… tired too probably, poor seeker. Hook told him he should have rested for another couple of solar cycles, but he flew out anyway.  
  
«Megatron» the smaller mech simply answered, wings betraying his relaxed and smug expression as they trembled, drooping low and struggling to turn back up.  
  
Megatron focused on the blue servo resting against the red plating of his hip. It was back there, the whole arm was there, no longer that gray and heavy limb that replaced his broken arm. It was slim and light, bright blue, like Starscream’s elegant pedes. He couldn’t resist and reached over to softly rest his black digits against the white metal of his Second’s waist and slowly slid them down until he could wrap the larger servo around that delicate wrist.  
  
The other shivered at the unexpected contact and that mask of boldness slowly cracked and the grounder could see a hint of panic in those bright red optics that seemed to be focusing on his every single movement. But they opened wider when Megatron pulled his shivering servo up to his face plates and rubbed his lips on a digit, then caressed the delicate azure plating with his thumb.  
«I-I…» Starscream was way too shocked to say anything. Megatron never touched him with such gentleness… well, actually he did. While he was in the med bay. But it was still something completely new for him, something he couldn’t know how to react to.  
  
«Why did you do this?» The grounder asked, optics still focused on his seeker’s servo.  
  
The flier’s wings fluttered again, then they moved up, opening wide and he quickly grinned again, trying so hard to keep a calm and uncaring expression as he talked  
  
«Ah! Just when I thought you couldn’t have been fooled by lies anymore, oh mighty Megatron.» he said «Isn’t it obvious I came here just to save my mate? You really believed me?» he chuckled, pulling his right servo away quickly with a smirk, resting it against his hip again and tilting his helm up, wings open wide with superiority.  
  
He shuttered his optics for a nanoklik before he turned around to stare up at his leader again «And I won’t simply let a foolish seeker like that destroy you for me. I don’t intend to owe favors when I’ll be leader of the Decepticons. I take what I want, I don’t make others bring it for me.»  
There were a couple of cycles of silence, and this time it was the silver grounder the one who grinned and chuckled softly, but differently from the other’s laughter, this one wasn’t fake. And that was enough to make the smaller mech take a step back, unable to keep that smirk on his dark face plates  
  
«Y-you old fool finally burnt you processor or something? Why are you—?» he immediately stopped talking and let out a surprised yelp when the warlord wrapped a servo around his chin to tilt his head up, pressing their forehelms together  
  
«Oh my dear Starscream, of course I am able to recognize lies when I hear them. Especially your lies.»  
The seeker quickly tried to move away but it really wasn’t necessary, Megatron already stepped away, turning his back to him, as if he really wasn’t scared he was going to get shot in the back!  
  
He grumbled, feeling energon heating his cheeks «Ngh…! You think I’d give up trying to become leader so easily?!» he screeched, stomping a pede on the ground «I’m gonna be the leader of the Decepticons and you won’t even hear me tearing out your spark from your frame along with that smug grin of yo—!» then he shut his mouth immediately, if possible, getting even more nervous.  
  
That glitch always made him lose his temper, damn it! He took a deep intake and clenched his denta, shuttered the optics and crossed his arms «Tsk!» he hissed «I should have recharged tonight, I knew it. Now I’m here losing time with—»  
  
«I missed you».  
The flier huffed and tried to make his cheeks stop blushing so damn much. He couldn’t see himself but he felt warm enough to understand his optics were probably shining bright red and his cheeks shaded with a purple glow. Damn him!  
  
«Let’s… just turn back to the base.» He sighed as he saw the coneheads leave and taking the last two Constructicons back «Before my seekers make some other mess.».  
  
Megatron had nothing to say about it as he immediately turned back serious, now really wanting to find out exactly what happened and what pushed the seekers to lose their sanity completely. He couldn’t care less if the soldiers were tired, he was going to have a meeting to discuss everything that happened that night.  
  
  
The warlord really had no idea what kept him composed when he heard what happened to his Communication Officer once he finally returned to the base. If by any chance the bright yellow jet would have accidentally passed in front of him in that moment, he would have literally exploded.  
  
He tried not to yell at the first mech who spoke to him instead, which was Ramjet, and honestly he never did anything wrong, he remained loyal and has been taking care of Starscream’s trine mate. His Second took a step closer to him and pushed a pede against the edge of the cone head’s wing, rubbing it softly as he pushed one of his own wings closer to him, allowing him to do the same if he wanted  
  
«You’ve been taking good care of my mate, while I couldn’t stay with him.» he murmured, trying not to use that annoying tone at least now, not really in the mood to argue with the other trine leader «Thank you».  
Ramjet observed the other’s ailerons and with the back of his servo caressed lightly on its edge as well, then shrugged and took a step back «Dirge took him to rest in our quarters again, it’ll be last time I guess. Shouldn’t you recharge too?» he suggested  
  
Starscream quickly shook the helm «No… No!» It was the third mech who told him to go to berth and he had no intention to let this meeting happen without having him there to at least try not to let Megatron desassemble every seeker of his army.  
  
He then followed his leader and as they stepped in the room, they could already see Acid Storm and his trine, sitting there at the table. They were afraid to get yelled at even for being late, since they knew they were going to get yelled at a lot this time. Shockwave was on Cybertron but he was already waiting in front of the screen, the communication had less problems now. Good. He hated when they had to repeat something thousand of times just to fix the technical problems.  
  
  
Motormaster looked at Scrapper and Hook quickly running around in the med bay. One trying to convince his leader to stay under observation and the other searching for an energon cube he could drink while walking to the damn meeting that everyone could have perfectly avoided if the seekers didn’t decide to go crazy.  
The truck also had to bring Drag Strip to get repaired since he somehow managed to twist his legs in an unnatural position after he threw himself down from the tanker. He simply landed in a bad position and despite how resistant the Stunticons could be, he was the most fragile of the team and now he couldn’t even move them without having to drag his pedes on the floor. They were stuck. And as much as Motormaster really hated the idea to go see those green fraggers again, he had to carry him there to get fixed.  
  
«Big boy here’s gonna get called too?» Scavenger asked, smirking under his mask as he pointed his shovel tail at the bigger mech, who couldn’t do much but keep his mouth shut at the moment.  
  
«Yes.» Scrapper answered quickly, now looking up at the other leader «Move. We gotta go tell Megatron what happened» he said before sprinting out of the door, followed by a growling and very angry Motormaster.  
  
When they both left, Drag Strip looked quickly at Hook as the medic began to fix his stuck legs «We’re in deep slag…!» the yellow mech sighed, a shaking servo grabbing nervously on the edge of the berth.  
  
«Yes, you’re in deep slag» the crane agreed, shaking quickly the helm «I just hope for Devastator that he was right when he talked to Menasor, he doesn’t need to lose him.»  
«Ah!» The Stunticon shrugged «Megatron would never kill Motormaster, one of his creations, please—» but he got immediately interrupted by the excavator  
  
«We hope so. Because he won’t be happy to know he’s the one who caused the mess that brought Soundwave to end up like that.» and pointed at the telepath, still resting on a berth, far from him while the blue seeker from Starscream’s trine was sitting there next to him.  
  
Well… maybe he actually had a point. But he wouldn’t have killed him anyway, right? He always forgave Starscream for almost killing him every time.  
  
Thundercracker slowly pulled himself upon his pedes, grabbing the stick again and slowly walking to the door «Come on Ratbat…» he called as he stopped before leaving the room «Your brothers will be enough to protect him and even Reflector’s a good guard!»  
  
  
As Scrapper ran inside, he quickly looked up at Megatron and bowed to apologize for arriving late, then quickly went to sit down. Motormaster followed him, walking slowly and trying to look away from everyone else. He was tired and really didn’t want to get yelled at or shot at. Well, he couldn’t change what happened now, so he just waited there.  
  
Soon, even Sunstorm’s trine ran inside, quickly going to sit next to the Rainmakers and all six fliers began to look at each other, startled. This was going to end very very bad for them of course, they were sure about it. They would have been very stupid if they weren’t at least a little afraid. They all waited a couple of cycles more, as if to wait for someone else.  
  
Eventually this someone arrived in the end. The door hissed open again and Thundercracker stepped inside, Ratbat resting on his shoulder «I apologize, I'm late…» he sighed before slowly reaching the closer chair he could see and finally sit down again. He really would have preferred staying in the warmer med bay and recharge, but apparently he was needed there. He couldn’t really say anything about it. Ratbat quickly jumped down on the table instead, looking around and stretching his neck a little before he relaxed his wings.  
  
The only seeker who was lucky enough to have a long recharge was Skywarp. The smaller flier wasn’t even told what happened to the telepath, he only needed to rest and relax after he almost went crazy too in the battlefield.  
  
The coneheads didn’t bother to make him have a shower, they all simply lied down and Dirge was glad to see him wrapping his arms tight around his waist, smiling and quickly slipping into recharge. He didn’t need to know what a mess was going on and really didn’t need to hear all the shouts that came from the hallway.  
  
The meeting started… bad.  
  
It started bad and was going to end bad. Thrust quickly covered the smaller flier’s audio receptors and grumbled before laying down once again. He couldn't help but be a little envious with how lucky Skywarp was, being able to fall in recharge so easily before that mess started.  
  
Ramjet stuffed his helm under a pillow, growling angrily. Nobody would manage to rest that night, it was pretty clear. Then again, what night? It was already morning.  
  
Dirge huffed before looking at the mech in his arms instead. How calm he was… well, sure despite the random convulsions of those long legs. He was going to miss those kicks they all received every night. The blue jet smiled lightly, caressing Skywarp’s cheek with the back of a digit. That relaxed and happy expression wouldn’t have lasted long when he woke up and went to see what happened to Soundwave probably, but for now he didn’t need to worry about anything, gaining all his energy back as he snuggled closer to his bigger frame.  
  
  
Ah how much Starscream wished he could simply reach his trine mate in a berth, offlining the optics and not have to stay in this damn room, hearing Megatron shouting at those six fliers and the Stunticon leader while fighting back the urge to blast every one of them.  
  
Hearing those smaller mechs already screaming excuses and excuses, begging their leader not to kill them. Maybe he could be hypocrite, being annoyed by the very kind of behavior he often displayed, but he couldn’t give a damn about being hypocrite! He didn’t want them to get killed. They were loyal to him… they did all that for him, making those three get killed wouldn’t have done any good. It would have risked to make all the other fliers rebel against him too, sure he was the Winglord, he was the fastest, the best, the strongest, the most skilled, beautiful seeker who ever lived in Vos…!  
  
But... If they felt betrayed by him, he wouldn’t have had that same loyalty they might have felt again for him all of the sudden. He couldn’t care less for Motormaster. But Megatron wouldn’t have done anything to him. They needed Menasor and differently from those five idiots… and the drone, Menasor was loyal and even stronger.  
«Lord Megatron, I’d like to have the Rainmakers back on Cybertron. I can’t afford these rebellions to happen again.» Once Shockwave was done talking, the ruckus started again. The three fliers started to complain and apologize for the fiftieth time that night… morning, not night!  
«No please!! We won’t ever take decisions on our own!»  
«We did it for you Commander!»  
Starscream felt his helm getting weaker every cycle that passed and leaned his face plates against a servo, slowly rubbing the base of his nose and the corner of his shuttered optics with the thumb and the index digit. He was tired and felt like purging, his wings were tired, his whole frame was tired and he wanted to recharge.  
  
«No, listen…» he grumbled, waving the free servo at the screen to shush the purple scientist, shaking the helm when he suggested to lock the three in a certain cell where he could instruct them who their real leader was supposed to be  
  
«No. No. There’s no need to do that… inste- instead…» he huffed, needing to stop talking for a moment as he took a deep intake. When Shockwave asked to to keep going for the third time after he received no answer when he said the same thing twice, the red seeker snapped  
  
«Wait a damn cycle! I feel like slag!».  
  
After a cycle Megatron shook the helm «You should go recharge.»  
  
Starscream’s wings tilted up in a sharp angle as he moved the servo from his face plates and staring at the wall for a few nanokliks «No.» he simply answered. Then reset his vocalizer before he kept talking «I say these three stay here while Sunstorm’s trine is sent there to you.» the trine mentioned squeaked in fear at the idea of being sent to Cybertron to get into Shockwave’s servo, for him to use for his disturbing experiments.  
  
«No. No torture, damn it. These three are skilled hackers and technicians, since Ratbat here confirmed they hacked Laserbeak. You should use this damn ability they have, no? Instead of wasting it-».  
There was a lot of complains. A lot. He knew Megatron wanted to destroy those six fliers instead, make them suffer, tear away their wings and make them eat them.  
  
  
After at least five joors, the meeting was over and Starscream almost felt like laying down on the damn floor and rest. He couldn’t care less if he looked like an idiot. His seekers and Motormaster all managed to stay alive and weren’t going to get locked anywhere.  
  
They all just received a very very hard punch on the face plates by the silver grounder, who put much more effort in that punch than what he ever did in the battlefield... Probably. That was going to be the only thing he could do to hurt them they decided. Those six idiots better not complain, since he spared them three decacycles in Shockwave’s laboratory or locked in the cells of the base.  
Thundercracker slowly started to walk back to the med bay, Ratbat following him, slowly landing on his shoulder while all the others left back to their own respective quarters.

Starscream was tired. Oh he wanted to recharge. He wanted to recharge! He struggled to get back on his pedes to step out of the room, not intending to look back at Megatron and seriously wishing he wasn’t going to call him to talk. He couldn’t. He couldn’t… he couldn’t even see where he was going actually…!  
«Starscream?» his leader called him from… much further than what he expected «Are you okay?» he heard him asking.  
«Yes» he tried to say, but wasn’t sure if he did. All he could hear before he felt his legs going limp was the loud sound of heavy footsteps and the feeling of something warm wrapping around one of his shoulder struts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh I took ages to write. I hate writer block, really. This chapter was supposed to be longer, but it's already quite long even like this. Oh well, at least I already got some part of the last chapter done.
> 
> Yes. I changed from Mature to Explicit. Yes. In the next chapter.


	14. Unbreakable

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning:this chapter contains explicit sexual content, robot sex. Don't read if you don't like it.  
> __
> 
> Units of time:
> 
>  
> 
> 1 Nanoklik - 1 second
> 
> 1 Cycle - 1 minute and 30 seconds
> 
> 1 Joor - 1 hour
> 
> 1 Solar Cycle - 1 day
> 
> 1 Deca Cycle - 10 days
> 
> 1 Stellar Cyle - 1 year
> 
> 1 Vorn - 80 years

How much time had passed since when he could say Skywarp felt so good and relaxed and happy…?   
  
He had no idea, after the mess he made, ruining the bond with his attempt of shooting himself in the helm, causing poor Thundercracker do destroy his leg… and everything else the seekers did after that, Skywarp had been feeling bad.  
  
He may have gotten relaxed every now and then, but he constantly felt scared, or nervous. Now he felt good. How was he feeling good so suddenly and not thanks to something he did? Why was he feeling nervous about it? Was he jealous? Yes! Yes because it meant it was thank to Soundwave he felt good! He was dreaming about him huh? Or thinking about him! Alright he got it, he was feeling good around the telepath, he liked him a lot. But he still would have preferred being the one making Warp feel good!  
Now, why was he even thinking about all this anyway? And where was he? What… why his optics felt so tired? Ah yes, he was awake all night and part of the morning… He went to fight to save that idiot of his mate who decided to go in a cave and the other idiot… Megatron. Ah and then meeting, ugh. That meeting.  
He groaned and forced his optics to come online. This berth was so warm, and it felt larger than his… this wasn’t his berth! And it couldn’t be one of the med bay! He immediately moved the covers away, wings tilting up and shivering lightly as he moved to sit up quickly.  
Where…? He still wasn’t sure he woke up completely, and kicked the covers that tangled around his pede once again, only resulting to have them wrap around the whole leg instead. Starscream hissed at it and the immobile material, not responding his threat only managed to make him get even more nervous somehow.  
  
Only after a cycle he had been pulling and struggling to get his leg free, he realized what an idiot he was being and that someone else has been staring at him the whole time.  
  
«Is this a seeker thing, Starscream?» The silver grounder was there sitting at his desk, resting his cheek on his closed fist and that… damn smug smile upon his face, crimson optics glowing with amusement.   
  
How dare he look so damn unintentionally attra… smug! Smug. He was going to say smug! The red seeker hissed and crawled off the berth «You…!» he said all of the sudden, as he was going to accuse him for something. But honestly… accuse of what? His wings shivered and drooped for a moment, then bent back.  
«Me.» the bigger mech said calmly after no other word came from the flier «Are we going to study grammar this morning?» he asked.  
  
How dare he? What the frag was wrong with him today?  
«Y-you took me in your quarters!» the jet spat, as if just that would have been something terrible. Honestly.. it wasn’t but that old fool was gloating too much for nothing, what did he…! Oh. Oh it wasn’t for nothing. It was because he went to save him…«You fell into stasis as you began to leave the room. I bet you don't remember do you?» Megatron asked, finally scratching and changing position on the chair.  
«And you’ve been staring at me the whole night? You old pervert—!» The seeker hissed, backing away slightly.  
«Morning actually… and only a psychopath would find it interesting staring at an unconscious mech for so much time, doing absolutely nothing. I’ve been recharging too. Then you woke me up with fighting that dangerous beast the berth cover is.»  
  
Starscream opened his mouth to protest or tell him to go to the Pit for bringing this stupid scene up again, then realized his leader’s cannon was there against the wall and not attached to his forearm, while his null rays where still at their place.  
  
He hissed lightly «Why did you leave me the possibility to murder you while recharging? Are you that stupid? I could shoot you right now! Take that damn grin off your face or I’ll wipe it off! ... Stop it!» He screeched, which only turned that stupid smile into a laughter.  
  
Damn him to the Pit. Damn him so damn much. «Stop it, you stupid…!» he yelled, before getting pushed back down on the berth before he could notice, and he let out a tiny yelp of surprise, immediately covering his face plates with an arm, while the other pointed at the grounder’s chassis.  
«Still scared of me?» He heard the other asking, and grabbing his arms softly, pushing them back down by his sides. «I don’t want to hurt you anymore.» That smile actually left as he bent a knee to face the flier who immediately put himself in a sitting position once again.  
  
«And you…» he continued «Don’t want to hurt me.». Starscream seemed to be ready to argue again, but Megatron shushed him quickly, pushing a dark servo against his mouth «But you don’t believe any of that. Or maybe you are lying to yourself and you simply don’t trust me».  
The flier pushed the other’s arm away and looked up at him angrily. Who did he think he was? Who was he to be so sure he wouldn’t have been attacked? And who was he.. to be actually right?  
  
He shook the helm quickly and the wings twitched «You’ve been hurting me for all this time. You hurt me and humiliated me, you pushed me to suicide from how tired you made me! I wanted it all to stop! I’m not some stupid youngling who… who trusts a mech who says they will stop hurting them after vorns of abuse!».  
  
The grounder stood up again and moved away «Do you hate me?» he asked so suddenly Starscream almost didn’t get the question.  
  
But he didn’t answer, despite how much he wanted to yell at him how much he despised him… he kept his mouth shut. Better silence… than such an obvious lie.  
  
«Huh?! What do you think?» he spat instead.  
«No I don’t think you do.» the seeker almost choked as he heard that answer. What the..?! «I think you’re scared of me, despite being unarmed and at your mercy, turning my back to you without my cannon, while you have two guns. Probably pointed at me right now.»  
  
Starscream lowered them and growled. Was this a game? He was losing wasn’t he? Megatron knew more than he wanted him to understand. He was having a hard time not confirming his ideas. Megatron pretty much showed he wasn’t afraid… while he still was, he was armed and his leader wasn’t… and he was the scared one.«I’m not scared of you!» he yelled «Why should I?! You can’t fight me. You can’t do anything!»  
  
The taller mech turned around, arms crossed «No. I can’t. But you’re not afraid of what I could do, are you? You’re scared of what I think. And you’re scared of what you want, Starscream. I know how to read your lies, I told you this morning, my dear seeker.»  
«I’m not scared!» The jet hissed, feeling his voice start to crack. Damn it… why did he always need to cry in front of him?!  
  
«Then tell me what the problem is!» Megatron huffed, but only shook the helm when the smaller mech ran at the door, turning around only to screech at him  
  
«You! You’re my problem!» He then took off to fly down the hallways. Seekers were stubborn. But Starscream was also too full of pride to lose a game like this.  
  
Megatron went through this, he knew how stupid he had been trying to fool his own emotions for all this time, and his Second did the same thing, he just didn’t want to accept it. The Decepticon leader looked down at his black cannon, picked it up and placed it back on his forearm where it belonged, then decided to leave as well. He needed to turn back in command of the base.  
  
  
Dirge knew that Skywarp wouldn’t have liked to know where Soundwave has been moved, it was so obvious he would have wished to destroy everyone after hearing the answer. But even trying to deny him that answer would have made him get enraged. He wanted to know where he was, since he didn’t find the telepath in his quarters that morning.. ugh, “morning”. More like late afternoon actually.  
  
As soon as the purple jet woke up, his first priority was the one to teleport directly inside the Communication Officer’s room and make sure he was fine after that battle. The dark blue cone head finally managed to get some rest very late… or early after that stupid and perfectly avoidable meeting finished, but it didn’t last more than two joors and half, more precisely, when the smaller seeker woke up.  
He suddenly found himself getting pushed with a certain urgency and not recognizing his mate’s servos against him, he quickly woke up, turning around and meeting instead the red optics of the dark flier.  
  
There he was, standing next to the berth, looking down at him with a weird expression he couldn’t read right away. He seemed to be half angry and half hopeful. Once he was sure to have the other’s attention he immediately demanded to know where Soundwave has been moved, he really wanted to know, after he practically teleported in the Officer’s room and found it empty and with the covers still pushed on the floor as he left them that night.  
  
Dirge let out a pained hiss at the sea of having to tell him the truth, then looked at his mates. Both still in deep recharge, luckily. Or maybe they were simply faking it? They could be real framers sometimes. As if they didn’t know he was the gloomy one of the three, the most unlucky seeker of the trine! They could have at least tried to take some of his pain sometimes huh?  
  
He took his time to answer, trying to convince the other to forget about it for the moment and lay back down to rest. But he wouldn’t have listened, the wings began to twitch in a slowly growing anger and honestly, the bigger jet couldn’t even blame him for that.  
  
The mech Skywarp practically fell in love with disappeared that night, leaving him alone and now he was nowhere to be found! Even if he knew that flier went in only one place and expected him to jump out a drawer, without looking for him properly, he sighed heavily and decided to answer that question. With only resulted in exactly what he expected.  
  
«Skywarp, please calm down…!» He tried to keep his voice under control, not really wanting to worry or upset him even more, even if he doubted his scary tone would have bothered the growling flier in that moment.  
  
Both Ramjet and Thrust went to sit up in an instant then quickly jumped off the berth, but neither of them even seemed that surprised to see their mate busy grasping the purple jet’s wings to hold him back from teleporting inside the seekers quarters and blast at every single mech he could look at.  
  
The white trine leader stepped closer and easily blocked the smaller frame on the berth, a servo firmly holding on the back of his neck cables while the other grabbed on the edge of his left wing, making the owner howl both in surprise and anger, but not in pain.  
No, he wouldn’t have dared hurting him, twisting his soft plating. That grip was hard and firm but not enough to dent the appendages, Ramjet knew how to control his strength, even if it really didn’t seem possible, knowing how much he destroyed himself almost every time.  
  
But now he was simply keeping him busy trying to shake his digits off to make him focus and teleport properly. Thrust was now sitting down once again and shifted closer to the purple seeker «And they say we’re the uncontrolled ones, needing to be moved far from the others…!» he grinned lightly and immediately shut his mouth when Ramjet glared at him.  
  
It really wasn’t the moment now, Skywarp was very serious when he yelled he would have ripped those rainmakers wings off and force them to eat them. They all knew how uncontrolled he could become, pretty much like all the other seekers. Even Thundercracker, so controlled and calm, quiet and reasonable could turn into a killing machine if something really bad happened to him.  
  
It was how seekers were, and seekers like the cone heads knew it. Their race was many things, they were not talkative but rather physical mechs, they were full of pride, some more than others. They were suspicious of any other mech who wasn’t a seeker like them, they hated being kept on the ground for too long… And they were all very impulsive.  
  
It wasn’t a gift at all, they knew it well. Some seemed to be able to hold back for more time, but some like Ramjet’s trine and Acid Storm’s trine were the ones with less self control. It took them almost nothing to go in this rage mode where they attacked with such a ferocity they stopped looking like sentient beings and seemed to be more like beasts.  
  
In this moment Skywarp seemed to have reached his level for the second time that day! First when he saw the white Autobot scientist and now he came to know what they did to his Soundwave while he was gone.  
  
Thrust grabbed the other wing and prevented it from shaking too much and hit against something, having some difficulties keeping it still without damaging it, their trine leader huffed and looked at his blue mate, silently asking him to help them, since he wasn’t sure how long they would have managed to keep him from teleporting.  
«Listen.. don’t you think Soundwave wants to se— uh- me-meet you, instead?» Dirge murmured, quickly correcting himself. Skywarp didn’t know it yet… and honestly not even their trine knew it until practically that morning.  
  
No one knew about anything except for the rainmakers, Megatron, Shockwave… and maybe Starscream? Maybe he knew about the telepath's conditions… this… handicap of his. And they didn’t understand completely yet, they just heard something confused from that not private meeting. Was he really blind? Like… completely blind? All he pretended to see was just what he heard? Or he could scan the whole area somehow?  
They never noticed he couldn’t see. It was impossible! How many times he was seen finding the things someone needed quickly? Seriously, if a mech was in a room, looking for a certain object after three doors and found nothing, Soundwave appeared and after three cycles he found everything! every time!   
  
How could he do that without optics? One can’t hear where a thing was and find them magically! And he never even pushed his servos around to feel his surroundings. Dirge has seen mechs whose optics got permanently damaged or… forcefully removed back on Cybertron. They walked slowly, keeping their servos in front of themselves, feeling the walls and never running.  
  
Soundwave didn’t touch the walls as he walked… and he was very often seen running! Fast! He wondered if that visor he always put over his optics was a device that allowed him to see. Maybe he was born blind with a malfunction and Shockwave, even if unable to fix this problem for him, gave him something that allowed him to see like everyone else? It was… weird. But it was possible, since the telepath never removed his visor, never! Same with the battle mask, he’d been very careful to drink his energon rations only in his quarters, and if he was forced to drink outside, he injected the liquid in his systems from his side, like Hook did with patients who got forced into stasis. At one point the cone head wondered if he even had a mouth under that mask.  
  
Apparently he did. And apparently, from what he could hear that morning, his voice was way less monotone and way more expressive once it got removed. Some didn’t even recognize it when he… when he coughed and whimpered after he got beaten up. The sound wasn’t different at all, it was the same… but just hearing any kind of emotion in it and hearing him cough and talk like everyone else even for just a few nanokliks made him seem… different.  
  
He heard some wondering if mask and visor were instead some sort of nightmarish device Shockwave invented to keep him… controlled. He always spoke like a drone when they were on… and as they suddenly came off, he started to talk normally. Could it be… that this “Soundwave” with his face plates covered was actually Shockwave, still there on Cybertron who moved that blue mech like a puppet and made him react like a drone, while the “Real Soundwave” was only one of his test subjects who found himself in this situation?  
  
A test subject but couldn’t even react when left alone and uncontrolled, having the processor too damaged after all those experiments? A mech who was only unlucky to be born with a powerful gift but blind and unable to protect himself when the scientist found him?  
Nobody recharged that night and being this damn close to the seeker’s shared quarters, he heard them all talking out loud about all the theories they came up with. Many thought that was the case, while some were still sure the blue mech was nothing more than a drone, not programmed for pain and losing his ability to fight after they started to attack him. But that was the most theory he ever heard.  
  
When the Rainmakers came back, all three remained quiet about that topic at first. The blue jet couldn’t hear their voices, he knew they got beaten up by Megatron before and had no intention to talk. Only Ion storm at first simply answered with a small “Yes” when all the fliers kept asking him to confirm every hypothesis, resulting to confuse them all even more.  
  
So, was Soundwave a simple blind mech with a special ability and mentally controlled by Shockwave like a drone? Was he really blind or he was simply pretending to look weak and attack those who abused him while they thought they couldn’t be seen only later? Was the visor a device that healed his blindness? Was there another way he used to see things like any other mech in the base?  
Suddenly, Acid Storm decided to answer and no one was sure if he said the truth or not. No one even understood what that meant. «Soundwave doesn’t need to see anything to kill us all. He never did before. And he won’t ever need it again.»  
  
Seriously what did that even mean? Was he really blind then?! He was forcing himself to be blind? Either way, that scared them and it was enough to make all the seekers shut up. Yes, at the moment, they were all pretty scared of the telepath again, what happened that night didn’t make them feel bolder. Knowing they managed to beat him up didn’t help them feel more confident as they expected. It only made them feel like he was testing them, waiting to get attacked and somehow they knew that blind or not, he knew exactly who had been hurting him or his little cassettes and he wouldn’t have forgotten about it, of course not. They were going to pay for what they did.  
  
  
Hook was another of those mechs who knew exactly how Soundwave worked and what his problems were. He knew he was born blind with an incredible power of hearing even the smallest sounds and read someone’s processor. He knew how powerful his power of generating sound waves with recorded sounds he had been hearing his whole life, mixing them into a devastating combination that could shatter the glass, ground and metal. He knew about his fighting style, defensive. He knew about the ability of Ratbat scanning the areas he was in to have a tridimensional image of his surroundings, being a blind cassette and at the same time being the one who brought more information than the others.  
  
Not precise information but a big quantity and a excellent description of an unknown area, for precise observation there were his brothers. He knew about the personal frequency the telepath and his cassettes had. He knew about their ability to share visual information to the telepath, allowing him to see something he couldn’t find without optics, despite his amazing skills to scan his surroundings constantly and now even unconsciously sending ultrasounds around himself to move without problems.   
  
He was a medic, he had to know these things. He had to know what needed to be fixed if Soundwave needed repairs. But he knew something more. Again, he wasn’t a psychologist. And he really had no intention to start working as one. But despite the hundreds of times he repeated this to himself, in a way or another he ended up listening to all these Decepticons’ problems, their mental issues and their fears. It was almost impossible for him watching a mech cry despite a scan assured him everything was fine, and ignoring some certain problem that made someone feel bad but not broken at the same time.  
  
This medical coding… it couldn’t make him ignore a crying mech. Or a mech who covered his face plates and convulsed in terror every time he lied a digit on their cold plating. Who was he to act so cold and distant with mechs who were going through a living Pit, psychological pain could be even worse than physical. No wound the frame could recognize as a vent, an unjustified pain with nothing to get repaired.The other Deceptions learned not to bother him, the grumpy medic-artist who had to be left alone while working, not dare to interrupt him as he explained how perfect he was in anything he did, but they all also knew how protective he was with his patients.  
  
No one liked being hurt, but at the same time, they knew there was no safer place than Hook’s med bay. No one would have managed to hurt the mechs in there. They also learned not to bother him with useless questions about his past and his mate’s life before they joined the cause. The only ones who did this, quickly learning of their mistake, was the Stunticons.  
  
Drag Strip was arguing with Hook over something very stupid and suddenly asked him if there was a time they looked normal or if they had been constructed to be all ugly workers with a disgusting taste for colors, able to do only one thing in their existence.  
  
Let’s say if Scarpper hadn't been quick enough to grab the medic’s servo, Drag Strip would have received a scalpel in the mouth.  
He rarely lost control like that, but the whole situation made him get way too mad. These Stunticons, so much younger than any other mech, didn’t know about the Constructicons’ past and once they also came to know about it, they all made sure not to ever mention it again. It wasn’t a nice story to hear. Six mechs constructed to work and construct, treated once like great architects, artists and expert workers suddenly left in the streets alone. Too sentient.   
  
They were programmed for only one thing and now they couldn’t do it anymore, they had to live on their own, discriminated after this… “constructed cold” issue became something out of control. No one asked them how they survived until they joined the Deception cause. Wasn’t it all too obvious how they gained the energon to live? No need to ask how. No one except for Megatron knew in what conditions they were before he took them. Not even Soundwave. But they could imagine… and it wasn’t a pleasant image.  
But despite his past life and how much Hook tried to act cold and uncaring, he always ended up helping everyone. Always seeming grumpy, rude and not caring about his patients at all, only wishing to have them out of the way as soon as possible. But some mechs like Soundwave could read his emotions behind that thick visor. Or even his thoughts in this case.  
  
Soundwave knew that Hook knew. And did he care? No. This artist was many things but just what he showed the others. Like many other mechs after all. No one could describe someone as only cold, grumpy and egomaniac. No one could only be described with three simple adjectives. Despite how much he seemed to be trying to give this impression to others.  
  
Mechs and even humans were no perfect beings with only one kind of character and one adjective that could describe them. They all had a lot of details and part of other characters they developed during time! Yes, Hook was cold, uncaring and always angry once. He remembered that period where he was only that. Really not caring about anyone but himself or his mates. It was understandable, after the life he lived. No one but the other Constructicons cared about him, so he wouldn’t have felt bad not caring about others. But that was the past. Now Hook tried to keep that personality of his while instead, it evolved and developed into something else.  
For example... All those times he had seen the crane saying to the blue Stunticon not to complain and take Motormaster’s harsh critics like a Decepticon without running away to hide in his med bay every time, not to just be quiet and bow the helm until he couldn’t take it anymore like a drone. Sure he sounded very cruel with the paranoiac and scared mech, but he was simply telling him to grow stronger without running away from the problems.  
  
This was a war, not a safe place where escaping from what scared a mech would have been the best idea. No. Here there was only a way to go through a fear, fighting it. Hook never yelled at the Stunticon, his voice was distant, but he never scared him. He even kept looking away without staring not to make him feel observed and put under examination.  
  
If the medic didn’t care, he wouldn’t have said anything, he would have kicked him out of the med bay or simply ignored him. Instead he lost time talking to him, even if he seemed very grumpy and nervous, he wasn’t ignoring Breakdown’s problem. Despite how much every conversation always ended with : “I’m not your psychologist, I can’t help every mech with mental issues in this base. Now let me work”, the medic always spent time giving the others advice, even in his own grumpy way.  
  
He knew them all, he knew how they felt, he knew what their main problem was, even if he didn’t like them, he knew how to solve everything because he really cared and observed everyone very carefully, not just focusing on the damaged limb or wound they had in a certain moment.Even now, when the purple jet teleported in the middle of his med bay, the Constructicon only shrugged and didn’t even complain about having him in there. It wasn’t the case to kick him out.  
  
«Soundwave!» Skywarp ran over to the berth he was laying against and obviously woke up all the cassettes as he hit the berth next to his, where they were all recharging. All of them except for… Ratbat.  
  
It’d been so long since he saw him last time back on Cybertron, he even began to ask himself if he didn’t wait up there with Shockwave. There he was now, busy guarding his master as he rested on Thundercracker’s helm.  
  
His trine mate was quite distant from him, still recharging. He stood up all night, he felt it from the bond both him and Starscream decided to open once again. As he yelled his name a second time though, the crane hissed and brought a digit on his own lips as he stared nervously at the flier.  
  
He whispered that he could allow him to visit the telepath but if he had to keep yelling like that and making such a ruckus, he would keep kicking him out until he grew tired of teleporting back in.  
  
The purple seeker’s wings twitched with a hint of anger and turned to look at the green mech, now ready to tell him how he had the right to stay with Soundwave who got beaten up and he wasn’t told anything till that moment, but as he focused on his silver face plates...  
«Hook-» he started, tilting the helm to the side and shuttering his optics for a nanoklik and feeling the anger turn into confusion. «Your.. your visor-?»  
  
He got interrupted quickly as the crane crossed his arms and huffed «Yes, I took it off» he grumbled, rolling his optics «It's my visor, I do what I want with it!» then moved away and went to check on someone else, a black seeker laying in a pretty uncomfortable position, covered in dents and attached to energon tubes.  
The teleporter shook the helm quickly and stepped closer to Soundwave. He was awake, looking up at him, a servo reaching up to grab one of his own.  
  
Hook seemed to have fixed everything in a very short time, he could only see some spots of missing paint and a few scratches on the white mask, some signs of dried energon and oil on his chassis. Weird. Hook never left these things left half finished, this only meant he wasn’t done working. He knew how mechs often came out, clean and polished, this was quite weird.  
  
He was obsessed with cleaning everything he had inside the med bay, his patients too. Except for that, there were no dents and exposed cables on the telepath’s frame, even visor instead was completely fixed! Good as new, how could it be possible that Hook managed to… fix the broken glass…?  
  
A purple digit traced those smooth and linear edges. That wasn’t Soundwave’s visor. Skywarp turned around quickly to look at the medic. He wasn’t… done yet, he needed a new visor and gave him his own instead? Skywarp knew what the telepath looked like under those shields. He knew he didn’t want the others to see him so exposed and unable to hide his emotions and the medic must have known it too.  
  
So Hook gave him his? He turned to observe the spymaster again, tracing the edge of his mask with his thumb and smiling «Sounder…» he whispered, pushing his face plates closer and rubbing his lips against the other’s sensitive audio receptors. He was feeling so happy to see him again, working.  
  
The Communication Officer was being way too silent. More silent than usual. He just woke up and found Skywarp there in front of him, he could have said something, at least when the other started to ask him questions. But he was quiet, at least until he suddenly shrugged and stood up, quickly getting off the berth and standing there in front of him. Then turned towards Hook.  
  
«Soundwave: wants to leave the med bay. Requires to discuss privately with Skywarp» he said and the medic nodded quickly.  
  
«Then do it, you’ll turn back when you’re done.»  
But the telepath wasn’t satisfied. «Request: Soundwave will return to the med bay when Hook will be able to finish the repairs».  
The crane shook the helm. Soundwave wasn’t the kind to stay locked in there all the time. He wanted to work, to be efficient in any moment. «Fine. But don’t touch the console- don’t work. Relax for once. Especially now this happened.»  
«Request: denied.» The telepath answered «Soundwave: communication Officer. Must work.»  
  
This time it was Hook who was the one who wasn’t satisfied with that answer. «It wasn’t a request, it was an order from your medic. Don’t touch that damn thing unless it’s extremely important. Or you stay here. I don’t care if you’re third in Command. Megatron wouldn’t want you to work now. I may not be strong enough to keep you here but I just have to tell Megatron to make you come back».  
And that was true. Soundwave knew it.  
  
«Request-» he started, but immediately corrected himself «Correction. Soundwave: will follow the medic’s order.» and started to walk to leave leave the room, holding Skywarp’s servo in his own.  
  
He was aware of the other’s confusion. He wanted to know why he was acting like he’s been ignoring him.  
  
When Ratbat opened the wings to take off and follow his master, the telepath stopped «Soundwave: will discuss privately with Skywarp.» then quickly added «Cassettes: will guard Thundercracker.» and left as soon as he gave that order.  
  
  
Once the two finally reached the Third in command’s quarters, Skywarp finally couldn’t hold back anymore and stepped closer to the other, wings shuddering in shock when he took a few steps back as he tried to reach him  
  
«Soundwave I’ve said it before and I say it again. You’re the silent one but now you’re scaring me, what the frag is wrong with you now?»  
  
The blue mech bowed the helm and seemed suddenly very attracted by the floor he didn’t move the gaze from there again. «Soundwave: …» he started, but somehow unable to keep going. He seemed so scared, shaking and servos suddenly covering his face plates, as if they weren’t already hidden.  
  
«Yes?» Skywarp asked, taking only a step closer «You’re in pain? They… hurt you a lot didn’t they?» but the other mech shook the helm.  
  
«Hook: Repaired Soundwave properly.». After a few more cycles of silence he finally decided to talk again «Soundwave: …Liar.»  
  
The Seeker shuttered his optics a couple of times. «What do you mean with that? Why… why do you still keep that on? I told you to take it off if you need to vent. You… You're afraid of me?».  
  
Was it because he was a seeker? They scared him so much, ripping off what made him feel safe… did it make him so scared of those like him? The other read his thoughts and shook the helm quickly   
  
«Soundwave: ashamed of himself.».  
«Why? Why are you talking like this?» The jet moved closer and grabbed on his servos, tilting the helm «Tell me what you did that makes you feel so ashamed.» he sighed «Please, keep those on if you feel like keeping them on».  
  
Maybe he wanted to say that he really wasn’t so attached so him, that he didn’t think he was so… attractive or whatever he may have seen him like…? Maybe all he was feeling for him was way less than what Skywarp felt instead of the blue mech? But the other shook the helm again, his answer even more confusing.  
  
«Soundwave: …can’t see.»  
This time the battle mask retracted and the visor too. He has been crying. The flier moved closer and cupped his face plates in his servos.  
  
«Soundwave what.. what do you…?» what did that mean? Why…?  
  
«Skywarp… I’m blind.»Blind? The jet’s wings shuddered and drooped low, how was he blind? Those red optics seemed to be glowing… they seemed functional! «But…!» he wiped away the tears with a digit «But they’re… online. They’re there, they’re not missing!» how could it be possible he wasn’t able to see? He was so perfect in anything he did! He… couldn’t be blind!  
  
The telepath sighed «Some optics can be glowing, but not working. Mine never worked.» he let himself sit on the berth behind him. «I was forged… defective.» he started to explain «All I can see is black. Sometimes it gets darker. Hard to describe. When I was forged I heard voices, immediately. I heard sounds, noises, words. I couldn’t hear my own thoughts.» He shrugged and bowed the helm down once again «Now I have a control on my own power. I was given the possibility to know what looking felt like, when Shockwave allowed me to share visual memories with my cassettes.».  
  
The seeker went to sit down close to him, he was… forged blind and he saw nothing on his own, he only had to share images thank to his cassettes. He couldn’t look around on his own then.  
«On Cybertron I did this only a few times, just when it was necessary.» Soundwave kept going «But here… since we landed, Ratbat remained closed in my chassis and constantly sent me the images of what surrounded me. I wouldn’t have wanted this to become a habit. I didn’t feel safe. This planet isn’t Cybertron. I was afraid. When I looked at you, when I kissed you, I couldn’t see you on my own. I saw you through my cassette. I… can’t look at you. I can’t see you. I decided I’ll start to keep acting like I did before, Ratbat will do the same he did on Cybertron».They both remained quiet for a few cycles, then the purple jet suddenly pulled the other closer to himself «You didn’t tell me you were blind?! That's all DJ?!» He chuckled «You know I never asked you if you were or not. So… you never lied to me.».  
«You’re fine with this?» Soundwave asked «You’re not… angry?».  
«No! I’m not angry. I’m.. surprised yes. But angry? I like you Sounder, knowing this doesn’t change how I feel about you.» Skywarp pushed the blue mech down on the berth, quickly laying on top of him.   
  
The spymaster gasped and grabbed softly on his waist, which only made Skywarp purr loudly «I like you so much… and I don’t care if you’re blind. It doesn’t make you something bad being blind. You don’t need to see me all the time with optics.» he smirked and rubbed his soft lips on the other’s chin «For example, you can tell what expression I am wearing now, right Soundwave?».  
«You’re smirking» He huffed, trying to tilt his helm enough to reach those soft lips with his own and kiss him again, like that night. Now he was just being a tease…! It wasn’t his style stopping so soon but for this once Skywarp quickly kissed the other and held his helm softly with his servos  
  
«Listen DJ…» He whispered, planting another light kiss on his audio receptor, earning a soft whimper from the mech underneath, which only made his grin grow larger despite the serious things he needed to say now. «We’re not two younglings in love, I know we just started to get in this kind of relationship… You’re already taking this slow and seriously, very… grounder style. But as you may have noticed, I’m taking this on my own style. Seekers are very direct with courtship my dear Communication Officer.».  
  
The telepath nodded slowly «I understand, you’re not rushing anything. It’s just your own way.. to courtship me. Like Seekers do.» the flier hummed in approval «I just wanted to make sure I wouldn’t have scared you with… this.»  
  
«It’s my own way to express what I think about your blindness. I don’t care. It doesn’t change the fact I think you’re attractive, you’re beautiful and so careful, you’re so protective and you’re so skilled, you’re agile and powerful.» he kissed those soft white lips once again  
  
«Your blindness isn’t a problem for me, understood?». He waited for the telepath to nod and kept talking «The ones of my kind aren’t so talkative in a courtship… we’re more… silent and tactile, we use body language instead. That’s why we rarely courtship grounders. But in this case… since you’re not a seeker and you can’t see me, I’ll help you to understand what I mean. I’ll be way more tactile and verbal, I’ll do this for you, while you can use your own way of courtship, without changing anything. You don’t need to do that for me.».  
«Thank you, Skywarp» the blue mech smiled softly, the sadness and anxiety he’d been feeling before were completely gone, the purple jet made him feel so safe and calm, it made him wonder what he was afraid of before…  
  
«So…» the flier murmured «Don’t be afraid to wait as long as you want before making a decision, this kind of behavior doesn’t mean I’m pushing you to have a quick answer. I am a grown seeker and I am mech enough to take a no as an answer, if we realize we wouldn’t be able to become mates, we can say it. Relax, yes? Let’s take this slowly».  
The dark flier purred and chuckled softly. He was chattering quite a lot huh? It felt so weird! Seekers weren’t used to talking so much, he already was one of those more verbal ones… but this was a lot.  
  
It didn’t really bother him though. It wasn’t Soundwave’s fault if Seekers had their own way to communicate, some things could only be understood by those of his own race, even a telepath couldn’t  understood everything, because certain things they did were just instincts, they were thinking about its meaning. And honestly Skywarp didn’t mind explaining everything to him… it was new, but not bad at all.  
  
  
For the rest of the solar cycle, Megatron had worked alone to bring back some order in the base. He was in command again, his soldiers weren’t in the condition to rebel a second time, after all they were all tired, none of them managed to rest properly that night and the rainmaker’s conditions would have been enough as a warning.  
  
As he walked down the corridor he met Ion Storm, the bright blue seeker immediately changed direction once he spotted the silver grounder, wings folded defensively behind his back, probably afraid the warlord would have suddenly decided to deliver a punch on him again, one that was worse then what he received to the jaw.   
  
Honestly Megatron really felt the urge to grab onto those shivering appendages and crumble them under his digits! Starscream had managed to protect them during the meeting but now he wasn’t there. He was… he had no idea, probably in the med bay with his mates. Regardless, Starscream wasn’t there now and just a dislocated mandible that had the blue flier forced to keep the mouth open in an uncomfortable position not to make it hurt even more… really didn’t seem enough after what these three glitches did.  
  
He had no idea what Sunstorm’s trine was doing. they were probably working with Shockwave after they left. Hopefully he was not making them rest till next solar cycle. They didn’t deserve to rest. For just this once the grounder decided to ignore the rainmaker, the fact he wasn’t permitted to visit the med bay for a decacycle could be enough. It wasn’t. But it could make that be a fair enough punishment.  
  
Starscream went through much worse in the past. If he heard even one simple complain he would have moved all these shiny seekers in a cell with the Combaticons.  
  
Ah yes, Combaticons. Those five mechs were still closed down in a cell after the last time they tried to rebel, it was time to try and tame them as well. The problem was that a seeker was easier to deal with, one single seeker wasn’t such a big danger, unless that seeker was Starscream. All together they could be even more destructive than those five that was true… but the Combaticons weren’t as crazy as someone would have imagined. Psychopathic… yes, some were.  
  
Vortex was unstable and sadistic, but not uncontrolled. He was manipulative and smart, he knew how to make someone fall in his trap. It wasn’t a mystery he would have been a way better interrogator compared to Hook, almost as good as Shockwave. The medic took way more time to make someone speak, he took different methods with different mechs. With the small and fragile ones he was almost kind, he took at least a decacycle to make them speak. Saying he was sure that if he would have frightened them they would have never talked again, too paralyzed from fear, or maybe they would have started to yell so much information they weren’t even sure about, not even realizing they began to give wrong dates.  
Vortex instead was way more… physical. He was also more manipulative than Hook. If he got tired of playing, he convinced the victim that he was going to kill them off and use their dead frame as a trap for a fresh one that maybe would have been a bit more chatty. At that point it was rare a mech kept the mouth closed.  
  
Vortex was dangerous. He kept promises when he had to kill someone, he knew exactly how to do his job. He was probably the most crazy one, but still able to use his processor and all the others could be even worse.  
  
Onslaught, for example, didn’t seem to have fun killing someone, he simply didn’t care. He could order to kill a youngling or a thousand of them and he didn’t care. He was also a leader his mates would have followed and listened without thinking twice. Motormaster, even if this time had caused a mess, wasn’t able to do the same.  
His Stunticons weren’t the killing machines so dangerous and uncontrollable that the Combaticons looked like instead. They were younger. Way younger than those five soldiers, they had no experience at all and their team was still having trouble bonding.  
  
The Constructicons, on the other hand, were an excellent team, working in harmony perfectly! They couldn’t stand a chance against Bruticus. They had been constructed to work and construct, literally. They learned to fight because the had to, they had to fight to stay alive and no one taught them.  
  
Onslaught’s team instead has been created to fight. Their first function was fighting, their weapons were much stronger. Megatron really had no time to lose with the seekers when there where these five mechs who still needed to be put in line and be taught to obey to their leader.  
  
Before he could go down and meet them he decided to think about the next attack against the Autobots now that they had enough resources for a proper raid against their base. Especially now that they got defeated they would have reported some serious damages by now. But they also had to consider the fact they had to use both the combiners, and Menasor took a lot of energy to use that attack. He didn’t even want to think about what would have happened if those five mechs hadn't have synchronized properly in that moment that strategy required them to work together. They rarely managed to use it, they often talked to each other while combined, not focusing on being one.  
  
They were lucky this time it worked. They couldn’t afford to risk making any mistakes that would have required him to come solve the situation once again right now. He needed time to recover. All five Stunticons needed time.  
He also had to considered the fact an attack was probably expected from the Autobots sooner then later.  The first thing they would have to get done was creating a proper defense and risking to fail the raid wasn’t the best idea. He thought about how much time they needed to let pass to surprise them instead of attacking right away. He had to admit he felt a bit better reasoning on his own, but he really missed having Starscream there disagreeing with every idea he had, it somehow helped him to focus, all that complaining and screeching. He had got so used to it, it really felt weird being alone in that silence.  
  
He then talked to Shockwave, who was currently busy building a new visor for the spymaster while keeping the three seekers under control. Said seekers were busy working on one of Shockwave's projects. He didn’t trust anyone to build a new visor for Soundwave and assured the warlord the piece would have been finished by the end of the next solar cycle.  
  
Soundwave and Shockwave never seemed to get very attached to each other, both hard working and both showing no emotion, desiring to only please their master. They seemed to behave like some sort of rivals more than colleagues, but both feeling somehow responsible for the other. As if they couldn’t afford to lose each other, or they wouldn’t have been able to show who the superior officer between the two was, the more loyal the more efficient and perfect. But they never behaved like little sparkling fighting, even if they didn’t seem to get along and both ready to kill the other if they needed to, Soundwave respected Shockwave and vice versa.  
Once he was done discussing with the scientist he decided to meet the Communication Officer instead, he knew his dear friend and he was probably already out of the med bay, in his own quarters.  
Sure enough, there he was, the only thing he didn’t expect to find there was the purple seeker from Starscream’s trine. While the spymaster heard Megatron approaching and quickly stood up to greet him, Skywarp was still busy brushing his pale cheek against the blue mech’s shoulder, wings fluttering a little before they immediately stilled and drooped lightly as he looked up at the warlord.  
  
The telepath bowed the helm respectfully while the flier took a few nanokliks to understand what to do, then bowed too and teleported away after murmuring a quick «Lord Megatron! I uh... I was just chatting a little with him. I'll leave immediately!» He seemed quite nervous, as if he was just spotted doing something stupid.  
  
«Soundwave…» Megatron said with a hint of a smile on his lips «Your visor is still retracted.» and this time he couldn’t hide the grin, watching his telepath quickly lose it. Megatron wasn’t stupid. He knew why the flier left so quickly. He also knew that without considering his cassettes, there weren’t many mechs where his Third in Command felt comfortable being around with mask and visor off. One of them was his leader, the other was the medic… and the third was a mech he got interested in.  
  
  
The purple jet teleported directly into the med bay and looked around to find his blue trine mate, there he was, laying on a different berth this time, strapped down but still able to move at least one arm, there was Mixmaster next to him holding a medical data pad and reading the information to him.  
  
It must have been results of a scan or maybe something very old. These things were private information and Hook used to get very mad when someone tried to read or touch what didn’t belong to them. Ratbat was still on his head, he seemed to find that a comfortable place to lay. He always thought the purple cassette preferred to stay upside down. The crane was busy talking with Long Haul as they both stood in front of a console and he didn’t seem to mind the fact.  
Thundercracker didn’t seem much interested in whatever the mixer was telling him, but it was probably better than standing there doing nothing at all. He slowly approached him and looked at the green mech grinning, not even reading the data pad. No he wasn’t reading it, it as upside own and the part his optics could look at was its back.  
  
«So the patient was cut in perfect half! Half, half, perfect half! And the doctor was never heard from aga—»  
  
Hook turned around and grumbled «Mix! Stop it. You are scaring my patients.» he stepped closer and ripped the data pad out of his servos, looking down at it quickly then placing it back on the desk.  
  
The scientist smiled and moved away once he spotted Skywarp, leaving him the place to stay close to his mate.  
  
Astrotrain was there too, he groaned and woke up stretching his wings lightly, causing him to groan in pain this time.  
  
Drag Strip had probably been awake since that morning, never managing to rest. He shrugged «Tsk! Scare.» he snorted. «How many times I’ve heard of mechs who had the waist separated from their hip and and still live? It’s not deadly!»  
  
Hook suddenly froze before quickly shaking the helm «… Waist. Yes uh… Waist.». Then walked over to Long Haul again and before the yellow Stunticon could say another word.  
  
Wildrider drove into the med bay moments later. Waking up another patient who began to groan in pain.  
  
Skywarp looked quickly at him. Black Death. He saw the black seeker getting hit in the back by Dirge during the battle and never moving again after that. Jeez, even the blue bonehead knew how to cause a lot of damage with that kind of attack. But he are suspected that if it had been Ramjet who had hit him, that guy would be dead.«Hey Stripper! I came to take you back AHAHAH!» the Ferrari shouted as he transformed next to his mate.  
  
At this point the crane slammed his fists on the desk and turned around «Out! You two Stunticons out!» he growled, immediately running over to the dark flier to keep him down and prevent him from moving.  
  
The gray mech tilted his helm and pointed at the medic «Doctor your… visor—?»   
  
The doctor huffed again «Yes, yes I know. I can take my visor off! It really is such shocking news but just get over it you all!»  
  
This was fifth mech that day that had to point that out. The next one that asked him what he did to his damn visor he was going to answer that he ate it because he was hungry.  
  
Widrider shrugged and helped his mate off the berth but kept that sly grin on his face plates «Oh you just look… less old with out it» he said before giggling again and rushing out of the room, just in time before the Construction could yell something else at him.  
  
  
The two quickly drove to their quarters and transformed back to robot mode once the door closed behind them. It was very quiet in there. Dead End was sitting in a corner, Roller Car closed in the silver trailer while Motormaster lied on his chest on the large berth.  
  
He wasn’t asleep, he was just very very angry. The yellow mech could see a trail of dried energon starting from his leader’s nose and spreading on his cheek. Breakdown instead seemed to be trying to approach the truck, backing away every time he got growled at.  
  
Wildrider sighed and crossed his arms, whispering to his mate next to him «Motormouth is so pissed you’ve no idea. Breakdown is trying to get attention but I bet it won’t end well for him-».  
In fact, after the Lamborghini got a bit too close, the bigger mech pulled himself up to push the other away violently, making him trip and hit against the wall behind him. He shivered, covering his mouth and curling up quickly, almost as if he was holding back from starting to cry and Dead End dragged himself closer to him.  
The other had no intention to stop trying and as everyone there expected, he got shoved back, a bit harder this time. The mech on the floor quickly stood up and put himself in front of his mate, afraid Motormaster got tired and decided hurt him more.  
  
Even the black drone quickly came out of the trailer. Yes, their leader wouldn’t have hurt him and the small car knew it. But Breakdown stood up a third time, quickly walking over to the truck and lying a digit on his arm. A louder growl came from their leader as he moved to sit up while raising the arm   
  
«Breakdown! I’m warning you.» but he didn't hit him this time. The smaller mech jumped on the berth and quickly curled up against his leader’s waist, shiver and letting out a startled whimper, probably waiting to get grabbed from the helm and shoved at the wall.  
  
The truck huffed and lowered his arm, softly laying the large servo on his mate’s back, who only whimpered a second time but at least stopped shaking once he realized he wasn’t going to get hurt. Motormaster huffed and lied back down, firm digits caressing the other’s spine and suddenly curling around his waist to pull him closer to his side.  
  
Roller Car quickly transformed and jumped on the berth as well, curling up and lying his helm on the truck’s knees, deciding to leave to the Lamborghini the place to stay closer to his leader’s spark this time.  
  
Soon even Dead End and Drag Strip felt brave enough to climb on the big berth. The first one moved closer to Breakdown, laying his chin against the leader’s arm, climbing over his mate to reach him. The other instead went to the other side sliding under the other arm and waited to get pulled closer, engine rubbing when he did. The truck growled lightly only when the gray mech literally jumped on him to lay on his back, but calmed down soon enough. He was tired. No need to waste energy beating up that little fool. He would have done that… later. Yes.  
The Lamborghini felt better now. Their team was supposed to work all together like Scarpper’s team. They got constructed and found themselves already bonded… they weren’t really given a chance to get used to the idea, some mechs like the Autobot twins were created… bonded. Or like the Combaticons… but somehow it was so difficult for them to get used to the idea of being a team!  
  
These moments were so rare… he was glad he could get Motormaster to accept this at least now.  
  
  
By the end of the solar cycle, Megatron talked to the Construction’s leader to discuss about upgrading the ex-ship’s defenses in case of an attack. The green mech seemed to like the idea, though, they would have obviously needed way more resources than what they had there in the storage at the moment, so before attacking the Autobots they would have to collect what they needed from factories or working sites.  
  
The warlord dismissed him and allowed him to go recharge. After that, the warlord walked in the med bay to ask Hook how many soldiers were in a0 condition to fight and how long others would have needed to remain still and rest.  
  
Almost no one was in any serious condition. The med bay was empty and Thundercracker was walking around on his newly repaired leg, it was fine and working properly once again.  
  
Mixmaster helped him at first but he seemed to be doing just fine, Long Haul suggested him to go reach his mate now he could. Skywarp was obviously told to leave before the medic began to work and was probably worried even if they communicated through the bond, he wanted him close to himself after so much time they recharged far from each other.  
Megatron saw that Astrotrain was there too, but luckily his problem was nothing more than just an aching inside his wings after he’d been fighting while he had no energy to do so. He was supposed to take the Decepticons there at the cave and rest, wait and then turn back. Instead he had to fight. He didn’t seem to feel so well… but not because of the wings. Because of the two red and blue cassettes sitting at each side of his berth and tormenting him with stupid jokes.The blue spy giggled «You gotta admit it’s not our fault so many people mistake your name with other stuff.»  
  
The brother nodded quickly «Yeah, your name kinda… sucks.».  
  
The triple changer grumbled, probably only wishing to be left alone by the two pests  
  
«You know, what about Paintrain, huh? Sounds much better already» Frenzy smirked, “accidentally” poking a wing and making the mech hiss. «Oh now don’t pretend to be hurt! I only lightly poked you there!».  
Rumble shifted closer «You don't like Paintrain? What about Astrotaxi then?» he smirked.  
  
«Shut up…» the silver mech growled, trying to cover his audio receptors.  
  
«No» hummed the other cassette «He likes the train one more apparently!» and they kept laughing  
  
«I bet he also really likes… restraints, huh?».  
  
Then they fell silent for a nanoklik and both their grin grew wider. Oh no. The triple changer huffed, turning the helm, but it was impossible to stop looking at them.  
  
«Hey, choo-choo!» The red spy poked his shoulder «We just had the most amazing idea!».  
  
The triple changer wasn’t interested «And I don’t want to hear it.».  
  
They already decided he was going to listen to it and began to talk «We just thought about the most fancy torture ever!» The blue cassette said  
  
The bigger mech turned on the other way «You. You two are a torture!» too bad he was facing the twin now. He simply couldn’t ignore these two pests could he?!  
  
«We’re going to capture one of those Autofools… and then were going to tie them down on the train tracks!» Rumble crossed his arms.  
  
The triple changer remained quiet for moment, looking at the two.  
  
«Ah! He likes that!» one of them squeaked.  
  
«I never said that-» he murmured, looking away from them, but they obviously weren’t listening.  
  
«Who do we get? Who do we get??» the red cassette was way too excited for that  
  
«Tracks? It’d be so damn comical! Though he’s too big it wouldn’t be dramatic enough…»  
  
«What about that hysterical red minibot, He’d totally deserves to look like an idiot tied on there» but then their grin grew darker as a weird light flashed on their visor  
  
«Reject twins.» they said in unison. Then they began to discuss how helpless and dumb those two were going to look when Hook grabbed them both from their legs and dropped them out of the door of his med bay.  
He turned around to go talk to Megatron again, but the black seeker on the berth started to call him again and quickly ran over to him. He lightly pushed a servo under the seeker’s chin to hold his helm still.  
  
«Long Haul, keep him still.» He said, waiting for his mate to grab onto the shuddering wings from their base and holding them, leaving the doctor enough space to work.  
«I’m sorry lord Megatron» the crane murmured «I can send you the whole dates later if you wish. Or if you don’t want me to disturb you, I’d send them to Soundwave» he offered, now only focusing on the black jet, who kept squirming and groaning in pain, at least until the doctor forced him into stasis.  
  
The warlord understood he really had nothing else to know for the moment, he would have preferred leaving the construction to do his job.  
He had pretty much finished his rounds, talking with almost everyone, the only one who was nowhere to be seen was Starscream after he left his leader’s quarters that morning. Megatron knew where he probably was, where else could he go?  
  
In his laboratory of course! He was stressed, nervous and went there to hide. He always went to hide in there when he was scared, frustrated or just hurt. At least until he denied him to get in there… But apparently, now the red seeker must have completely ignored that order he was given and returned in there.  
He remained inside for the whole solar cycle while he had been walking around the base and taking back control on things. Until that night. Yes because when Megatron turned back to his quarters to recharge, he found him there. That little devious flier was still good at hacking codes it seemed.Starscream was looking up at him with a serious expression, something should have made him look calm and knowing exactly what to do. But he almost seemed angry, keeping his big appendages up in that sharp angle.  
  
The silver grounder remained there at the entrance to look at the other without saying a word and without even looking mad about having his Second in his quarters after he hacked the security system. It was pretty clear why he came back, so he simply stepped inside and observed him carefully, still leaving the door open for the moment.  
  
The flier in front of him was unarmed, his null rays where placed on the floor, out of his reach. Just like his cannon that morning, far from him while he stood in front of someone who had the possibility to harm him. But differently from him, he easily noticed one small difference. The smaller frame was shaking. He was scared. He didn’t seem able to go through the same thing, and he couldn’t be blamed.   
  
Even though Starscream could represent a threat and all those attempts of assassination could be a proper reason for fearing him, the warlord managed to control himself, especially because he was sure he understood how to handle his emotions by now. He wasn’t sure Starscream was ready to quit fighting something stronger than him. He was too full of pride to admit some things were impossible to fight even for the Wing lord of Vos. But Megatron was going to let him try.  
  
The door hissed closed and he locked it, then sighed, trying not to look threatening, keeping his right arm down «Do you have something to tell me, Starscream?» he asked him calmly, approaching his second.  
  
The white appendages shuddered and drooped low for a nanoklik, then turned back up, fluttering with nervousness, betraying that mask of boldness and calm he was trying to wear. «I am not scared.» was the answer, optics glowing with what seemed a mix of fear and anger… and want. But he was still fighting inside wasn’t he? The warlord had been doing that for so long, it was way to simple understanding what was happening inside the other’s processor.  
«You are.» the grounder simply murmured, laying the back of a digit on the other’s dark cheeks and sighing as he saw him clenching his denta in fear, then struggling to relax once again, but the more he tried, the stiffer his whole frame became. He was so tense he could almost hear the bright armor cracking «I hurt you, and you can’t believe me when I tell you I don’t want to do this anymore. And you don’t want me near you.».  
The seeker hissed and shook the helm, pushing his face plates far from his master’s servo «It is not true!» he spat, his optics suddenly looked down on the black cannon on his master’s arm, but just for an instant, then turned back to focus on the other’s gaze, much more controlled and calm.  
  
Yes it was true he was scared… he was scared of getting hurt and he was scared about looking weak. He was scared of not being sure about what he wanted. He wanted to be leader… he wanted Megatron to die for so long… and now he didn’t want that anymore. It couldn’t be right…! How could that be right? But it did feel so. How could that be right? Why? Why was he trying to confuse himself even more with these idiotic questions? As if he never felt that was about his leader and as if he stopped feeling that deep inside. As if it never left despite both him and Megatron tried to drown that feeling with hate, energon and all the terrible things they did to each other. As if he never ever got constantly reminded of it every time they managed to cooperate without killing each other those rare times.«What is not true Starscream? You don’t want me here. You are afraid.» the grounder said again, turning away and unlocking the door «Put those back on, then go rest with Thundercracker, Hook is done with him. He is probably already recharging with Skywarp.».  
A quiet growl escaped the jet’s mouth. Why did that old fool have to make this game so difficult?! Because it was a game after all, wasn’t it? And why was it difficult for him? Just because this had to do with feelings and not with mental battles.  
  
Seekers were too expressive, to emotional. Despite how good someone like him was at manipulating others, making them think something else easily, they were aware of their emotions while doing that! They could have pretended to be fine, without feeling guilt or shame, but that uncomfortable feeling inside their spark? Oh they weren’t immune to that, not even the most manipulative seeker could ignore it!  
  
Now, he was having a very hard time hiding how he was feeling. The more he struggled to keep his emotions hidden, the more they started to leak. As if they were made of the sand from the Earth. The more one tried to hold it tight, the faster it slipped through the digits.  
  
«It isn’t true! I don’t want to go recharge with Thundercracker now!» he sounded so desperate now. Okay he was concerned about his mate, but he was going to see him in the morning! Now he felt where he was! He was reaching and very tired after the operation, why did he need to go wake him up? And then... He didn’t intend to quit like that morning! Stupid old fool… did he really think he was going to avoid this again? He was tempting him to just go and run from his fear.  
«Then what do you—?» The grounder wasn’t even done asking when those sky blue servos quickly grabbed the sides of his helm and pulled him down. Dark lips crushing against his own.  
  
Starscream couldn't manage to keep his optics online and shuttered them immediately, wings tilting backwards and shuddering in confusion, as if they didn’t know if to turn back high and proud or just droop low. The jet took a quick intake as he pushed himself away just lightly before he moved closer again to continue the kiss and the glossa quickly brushed on his master’s denta, optics still shuttered as the wings twitched, spreading open.  
When he pulled away a second time his dark face plates were shaded in such a bright purple shade his optics seemed to be turned pink instead of red.A black servo slid onto a cheek, thumb stroking gently under his lips. «Are you even sure you want this?» he asked, making those wings finally decide were to stay as they quickly moved up once again   
  
«It seems like you’re the one who’s being scared in here. Trying to find excuses not to face me?» The flier huffed. Grinning as his appendages fluttered with a hint of amusement.  
«I want this to be consensual» The grounder calmly answered, which only made the flier growl in irritation.  
  
«W-what?!» Then shook the helm and turned around, jumping on his leader’s berth and laying down on his back, then started at him «What else do I have to do to make you understand that?! I want this! You… You really plan on gloating so much? You want me to say I want you and—» Then gulped and went quiet when his leader grabbed him firmly from a leg and pulled him closer once again.  
  
«No, not right now, I know how you take it when someone points out their superiority over you my dear seeker. It’d be counterproductive». Starscream’s optics opened wider for a nanoklik but whatever he wanted to say had to wait «The real Wing lord doesn’t kiss a mech as if he was afraid of doing that. It seems like you’re not sure».  
That seemed to have convinced him. As he expected, Starscream kissed him again. It was different this time, just what it was supposed to feel like.  
He kept the optics online, staring into his ones was that light, not trying to hide the combination of anger and desire he had been feeling after being criticized like that, hearing he seemed to have forgotten how a Wing lord was supposed to be.  
  
This sharp denta lost no time biting on his lips and the glossa didn’t just bush on his mouth, it pushed with insistence to be let inside. Megatron would have smiled if he wouldn’t have been busy at the moment. He decided to play in the end he thought as he felt the other’s vents switching on and fighting to win the dominance in that kiss. As he always did in anything.When Starscream broke the kiss, panting softly and wings twitching with anticipation, he didn’t let go of his leader’s helm yet, still looking at him with that nervous expression which slowly started to change into something that looked more like arousal than anger. «I want.» he huffed.  
It almost looked like his seeker was finally back, but he obviously needed just a smaller bit of something else. He noticed that as the flier got pushed back further down onto the berth. His wings lied flat on the soft surface but tensed up once more as the silver grounder moved to pull himself up to stay above him on his knees and elbows.  
  
Of course the jet’s emotions were still confused, he was still trying to fight back his fear and maybe even his own desires, so there was still a little more work to do. Black digits caressed lightly on a thigh as he approached his Second’s lips to kiss him once again.  
  
The sky blue servos quickly wrapped themselves around the grounder’s neck, one pressing on the back of his helm, as if he was somehow afraid the other would have decided to pull away, then quickly closed his legs, drawing away from his master’s touch.  
  
When Megatron pulled away to release his mouth, he found the jet smirking, a sly light in those crimson optics. Of course he wanted to play hard to get, like he would have expected from him, he was silently asking him how much he wanted him this time. But he could also see how Starscream was still dealing with a lot of thoughts that kept his processor busy. He was going to make him ignore them all and let go.  
  
He wasn’t going to force anything, seekers were very direct and it seemed like he was being challenged to prove his superiority like that, speeding his legs open and take him wouldn't have been a problem, but he knew how to resist himself. He was going to take this slow and make his Second give in first if that was the game Starscream wanted to play now.He pulled himself up, untangling himself from the flier’s grip, making his wings twitch with confusion and a hint of fear. But he wasn’t leaving, no.  
  
«Take this off.» he said instead, moving his right arm closer to the other. He wanted him to take it off, like all those times he’s been visiting him in the med bay. Once the cannon slid down the berth next to the null rays, Megatron moved down again, allowing his right servo now to touch the the jet’s frame.   
  
Starscream caressed Megatron's arms gently, extended once more to grab on his large shoulders, claws digging into the seams up there, as if to make sure he would have had a stronger grip on his leader next time he tried to move away. Oh he wasn’t going to do that any sooner.He started to kiss his dark face plates again, softly laying his lips right under his open mouth, feeling the heat under the metal. A soft groan left the seeker’s vocalizer after he was denied another long kiss, but Megatron had different plans.  
  
He kept kissing lower instead, tracing his jaw and then finally reaching his soft neck cables. He let his glossa slide out to taste the incredibly warm and delicate wires, feeling a low charge of electricity crawling on its tip. The frame under his own twitched as he rubbed them softly with his denta, not sure if in fear of being bitten or looking forward for it.  
  
He hummed and let go, opening the mouth again, earning a second annoyed groan. Not fear. Not at all. He curled his glossa around the cables and closed his mouth around them a second time, but scratching them harder with his denta to draw out just a couple of drops of energon that trickled down his mouth.  
  
The sweet taste of Starscream’s armor and energon was nothing compared to the sound of the other’s jaw shutting tight to suppresses a moan, feeling the vibration of it through his neck instead. The white appendages shuddered and pressed down on the berth, needing space to move. Oh he was going to give those a lot of attention if they were trying to get that from him, just not now.  
  
Not so soon.  
  
His servos moved down on the jet’s shoulders to keep him in place as he kept biting and licking at those dark wires and he suddenly stopped, he easily managed to fight back the pressure Starscream tried to make with those claws to keep him there, but soon relaxed when that warm mouth reached lower, now leaving trail of kisses on his cockpit.A servo trailed down too, its digits tracing the edges of the bright yellow glass where it met the metal, as if to say he was about to open it in any second now, but he didn’t. He wasn’t going to open it, Starscream was going to do it alone.  
«M-muh…!» The warlord looked up quickly, seeing the flier withdraw one of his servos to slam it on his mouth to keep quiet. That wouldn’t do. Megatron slowly pulled himself closer once again, keeping an arm down to press against the glass while used the other to grab onto the blue wrist, easily removing it from his face plates.  
«I want to hear you!» he murmured, offlining his optics and planting a kiss on in the middle of the shaking palm. His frame was turning warmer and warmer. He traced every spot, stroking every digit with his lips, kissing its back just to release it and let it slide down on the berth as he noticed the flier’s legs unable to stay pressed together anymore. They didn’t open… but he didn’t seem able to control himself for much longer at this point.«You are delightful, my dear Starscream» he whispered once he moved closer to his helm, kissing him again, feeling the other struggling to fight even now his temperature was rising at impressive speed as those wings dragged themselves over the berths surface to get any kind of stimulation, craving to receive the same attention his master gave to those lips, to his neck cables and to his cockpit.  
  
Some flattery was pretty much essential if he wanted to bring his seeker over the edge, make him let go and distract him from all the problems he may has been imagining in his twisted processor.  
  
His digits slowly reached the edges of those shivering wings, and when they did, they both stilled for a nanoklik. The seeker opened his mouth, gasping and trying to focus on anything but on his leader’s glance. Those dark servos palmed on the white plating, feeling how warm they were and how they started to press against him to receive more of those strokes, not wanting to be left alone again. He grinned, satisfied by the reaction.  
«Oh don’t fret, how could I possibly ignore them?» He then grinned as he blew a warm puff of steam against one of them, suddenly tracing the scarlet stripe with his glossa, grinning once he heard his Second gasping and letting a moan escape. This was more like it, he seemed to be starting to stop thinking about useless things.  
There he was in fact, panting and lying the helm down, pressing a cheek on the soft surface and doing his best to keep his mouth shut, but failing to do so as his white thighs spread open, pedes rubbing frenetically.  
«Hmm?» The warlord grinned against the delicate plating before he decided to give even his other wing the same attention «You need something?» he asked, leaving a light bite on the edge of the wing and trying his best to suppress a laughter «You can tell me, what is it that you want?!».  
«Y-you fragger shut up.. shut -uhn.. u-up!» he shuttered the optics again, clenching his denta and trying to hide his face plates, tilting the helm in a weird angle to keep it far away, not that it helped in any way.  
  
Megatron slowly moved away, only to focus somewhere else, he stroked gently down his sides, reaching the red armor and already able to lay between those glossy thighs if he decided to do so, without moving them further. He was burning, and he could tell his Second was already wet behind his panel. He could have easily broke him just caressing it, it was so obvious he was holding back. But no… he lied down and held him still from the waist, pushing gently with his nose against the inside of his thigh, seeing it shiver at the unexpected touch, then starting to kiss there and moving closer, always teasingly avoiding the red paint.  
«N-nghu… just…!» Starscream had always been impatient, always. He couldn’t stand to be ignored on purpose. A puff of steam crawled out from his seams as he arched his back, trying to press closer to those lips which only withdrew as he got too close.  
  
When the flier slowly retracted his panels, Megatron smiled against the white metal. The flier was probably going to overheat, but pretended to ignore the exposed valve and his stiff twitching spike for a cycle, unable to suppress a light chuckle when he felt those slim claws burying in his shoulders and a frustrated growl coming from the other.He probably had been waiting long enough, that was true «Patience…» he murmured, slowly pulling his hips closer to his face plates and looking down at the lubricants already trickling down in a small pool over the berth.  
  
His voice was enough to blow cold air against the burning mesh and causing the other to let out a choked sound before hissing, seeming to have reached his waiting limit.  
  
«You take your patience and shove it- A-ah! Ah!» he didn’t say anything else as soon as his leader’s glossa brushed the rim of his valve. Oh he no longer could manage to keep quiet, his back arched and his blue thrusters seemed to dig so deep in the berth they would have probably ended up piercing through it.  
  
Megatron didn’t plan on teasing for too long, and after a couple of soft licks just near those tender and warm lips, he pushed his face plates forward, diving the glossa inside, burying it as deep as he could go, drawing it back and rubbing against the overheated sensor. As he moved away, he blew cold air against ceiling node and returned to work, a black servo wrapping gently around the pressurized spike, running a digit down the length, then back up to rub against the tip.  
  
Starscream tasted exactly as he would have imagined him, so hard to describe… it felt hot, almost too much, the smell intoxicating, making him think he would have never had enough of him. It was becoming impossible keeping his own spike closed behind his panel, it burnt and it needed to slide out, to get buried deep inside that delightful seeker.  
  
He knew how to control himself, and if Starscream didn’t want him, he was perfectly able to let him stand up and walk away. He wouldn’t have forced him to do anything. Sure he did say he wanted to before… but he didn’t seem completely sure.  
  
He suddenly felt a thruster pushing against his side, struggling to curl around his back and pull him closer, while its owner shuttered his optics, groaning and trying to form a sentence without making himself sound so helpless and close to the edge. When he pulled away this time the seeker nearly screamed, being so close and yet not enough to finish. The grounder pushed himself up again to kiss his Second, letting him taste himself on his own glossa.  
«Frag you…» he growled lowly, thighs trembling and rocking his hips in the other’s palm trying to get him to stroke faster, harder, not that tortuously light and slow pace. But that just had the digits abandoning the shaft, only to move down, to caress the soft mesh of his valve.  
«No.» The warlord smiled, burying two of them deep inside of him, thrusting and curling them up, stimulating all the sensitive nodes he spotted before and catching his in another deep kiss as he gasped «That’s you.» he purred once the pulled their mouths free.  
  
That smirk on those beautiful dark face plates returned soon enough, followed by a challenging light in those glowing optics «T-then do it!» he growled. That was his Starscream. Not the sick and broken mech he had accidentally forced him to be.Another kiss, this time softer, on the edge of his mouth. «Starscream…» he murmured as he moved his servo from between his legs and grabbing lightly onto his thigh instead «You say stop, and I stop».  
The jet didn’t seem to want to answer and only yelped when with a click, his leader allowed his spike to extend as well. There was just the hint of a droop of his wings but Megatron spotted it quickly. He kissed his Second on the jaw perfectly aware of their size difference, and it was understandable if he was afraid of getting hurt by him.  
  
«I won’t hurt you» he promised, leaving one last kiss on his chin.  
«H-hm! J-just.. frag me and stop chattering!»Megatron took a moment to spread open those white thighs a little further, then decided to stop making him wait, he was going to stop as soon as the other began to feel uncomfortable. He slowly slide the length of his spike against the burning valve, coating it in slick lubricant before pressing the tip against it.  
He could see how tense the smaller mech was becoming, his wings trembled and pushed against the soft surface, denta clenched tight and optics shuttered, just waiting for the pain to come.  
  
The warlord huffed and pushed himself closer one more time, rubbing the soft neck cables with his lips. It would have hurt him if he wanted to stay this damn tense…! Was it possible every time something seemed to be going well between them, it had to have troubles later? But he was calm, this wasn’t a problem. Starscream was just a little worried, just a moment he didn’t feel as ready as he wished to be probably.  
«Look at me Starscream.» he whispered softly, waiting for the flier to online his optics again and slowly began to thrust just the tip inside, being careful not to stretch him open too fast, giving him time to adjust and allowing him to feel his spike and realize that he hasn’t been hurting him. When he felt his armor relaxing, he decided to thrust in completely, not fast but not even taking way too long, then kissed those soft soft wires again. He took a deep intake and with a servo, slowly caressed the other’s lips. He felt so tight soft and warm, he wanted to start moving, his spike twitching as it was kept deep and still.  
The jet was quiet after the loud moan he let out, mouth open and optics staring up at the ceiling, he wasn’t in pain but he was feeling so full and hot… and…  
  
«You’re doing so good, my dear Winglord…» the praise made him gulp and arch his back again, rocking his hips lightly and Megatron knew he could start moving now, slowly sure, but he could be sure not to hurt him.  
  
This stubborn seeker… always thinking he could take anything and then risking to get hurt for nothing…! Luckily he knew how to handle him. He didn’t care if their first time has happened so long ago… he learned his mistakes and he wasn’t going to hurt him ever again.The blue servos quickly curled up around his neck again, pulling him closer, he seemed to be ready to talk and say something but only more moans and gasps left his vocalizer  
  
«So good, my dear seeker. You’re so good…» he smiled, whispering close to his audio receptor, earning another loud moan from him.  
  
«M-Megatron…»  
«I am here Starscream» he kissed him softly, increasing the speed now letting go of his thighs to stroke his burning cheeks. He was beautiful. He looked so young and helpless, so delicate and at the same time so deadly, like the sharp claws of those servos, wrapped dangerously close to his neck cables. And he was his. His beautiful seeker…  
«M-Megatron! A-ah… Megatron! Y-yes Megatron…! Y-yes!» He was smiling. He was smiling once again… he felt good and not afraid anymore.  
«What do you want, Starscream?» he asked him again, kissing him quickly on his lips again and seeing the other pull him closer.  
«Bond… I want t-to bond!».There was nothing else he needed to say.  
  
Megatron's black servos slowly grabbed onto those delicate blue ones, pushing them down at the sides of his helm. He moved his chest plating out of the way first, wanting to make him feel safer. Honestly he could take all the time he wanted for this. But Starscream pushed his cockpit away almost right after.   
  
He was so warm behind, so bright… Who could have ever imagined they both felt so safe revealing their spark to one another, allowing the one mech they’ve been hurting for vorns the possibility to kill them so easily, reach over and destroy their very spark as if they would have shattered a fragile sphere of glass.  
  
White tendrils already started to crawl out, shivering at the freezing air and reaching for the warmer source they could find. It was Starscream this time the one who pulled up just enough to bring his leader lower with another kiss, not rough, not even soft… it was very calm and controlled despite how his whole burning frame shivered and how he moaned into the other’s mouth.  
Megatron didn’t increase his pace after that, he wouldn’t have needed to, he could already tell they were both very close.  
He could soon feel anything his little seeker was feeling at the moment as their very life sources touched. He felt him scared at first but at the two lights pushed closer and closer to each other he relaxed, he felt… calm and happy.  
  
Finally after so much time fighting with two emotions he could let go and stop fighting. Stop fearing… just let them exist.«Starscream…?» Megatron murmured, panting heavily and keeping his Second close. He suddenly started to cry. But he couldn’t feel sadness nor pain through his spark, he could only feel a sentiment of relief.  
  
His mate looked up at him and moved closer, engine purring, then chirped something, a light whisper almost impossible to hear… in his own native language.  
  
He never spoke like that to him, ever. Seekers were jealous of their dialect, they didn’t share it with grounders. Megatron never learned it…. only a seeker could teach it to someone else. His Second felt safe enough around him to share his knowledge. He could feel its meaning… it meant “I’m yours.”  
He smiled lightly, pushing their chests just a little closer to each other and repeated the sound Starscream made as he spoke to him, copying perfectly each word he was told.  
Almost immediately Starscream laid his helm back, his valve tightened around his master's spike, transfluids not able to stay in there, so full he was at the moment and the slowly trickled down the length still buried inside, seeping out from the small seams, his spike shooting transparent strings and staining both his and his leader's plating.   
  
Despite both his name and his usual tone when he talked to everyone almost all the time would have suggested otherwise, his overloaded was almost silent. Just a soft gasp, stilling and laying there, coolant running down his cheeks and a blissful expression over those dark and beautiful face plates.   
  
Megatron wasn't sure if he overloaded because of the new bond they created or just for seeing Starscream like that instead, but managed to hold himself up on his elbows, not really wanting to crash over the flier.  
  
  
He slowly decided to pull out after a couple of cycles and lay down properly. He was way too tired to go to the wash racks now, he didn't care about all those transfluids staining his silver plating if he had to be honest.  
  
When he looked back at his… his mate, he saw him there already sitting up, pretending to be much less tired than how he actually felt and staring at him with that expression of superiority, expecting something that was going to be given to him, because he had the right of it.  
  
«Do you want to sleep sitting up?» the warlord crossed his arms «Is this another seeker thing I’ll have to learn?».  
Those beautiful wings tilted up they didn’t have the right to catch his attention every time though «Tsk! One thing you should learn is how to pronounce words, you old literature lover…!» he quickly pulled the flier closer from a leg, laying him on himself, a digit caressing those white ailerons, stilling on the purple insignia there.  
  
«Hm… you overloading just after hearing that makes me think you still liked hearing that»  
«Oh shut up! That had something to do with your spike inside me, as it should be-»  
«I’m glad my seeker’s still here.»  
Starscream looked up at him and laid the helm back down on his chassis «…you thought I would have been so easy to break?» he murmured «I’m stronger than you.»  
«Definitively. That’s why you scared me.» Megatron slowly pushed his servo in the middle of his wings and caressed them at the base. «Don’t you ever do that again.» he almost whispered, not sure if Starscream heard him.  
  
Starscream didn’t need to hear him now… he understood that through their bond. And didn’t bother answering with words neither, he simply snuggled closer. «Shut up you bucket head…don't tell me what to do, I'm not stupid.»  
The warlord moved his servo away and grinned, as if what he just said was actually the best joke he ever heard. Fragger. He stretched lightly before offlining his optics, feeling too tired for more games «I love you Starscream.»  
The seeker grumbled and looked away, wings relaxing and drooping down against his back as he moved away to lay far from that idiot of his leader, turning his back to him «Yes yes, go recharge you old fool».  
  
But just a couple of cycles later those white wings lowered and Starscream moved to sit back up, staring at his master. And just a couple of nanokliks passed before he quickly returned to lay on top of his master, feeling warmer and for once protected in his arms. Those arms that hurt him, those servos that caused him so much pain for all those vorns... where the servos that made him feel safe.  
  
«… I love you too, you old fragger.»

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why didn't I fragging write two chapters at this point? This was so long...! And so difficult.  
> First time writing this kind of things. Much mroe difficult than what I imagined.
> 
> Next thing. I know, nothing here is canon. Some things are, some are invented.  
> I don't like to always follow canon, canon in g1 Cartoon was.. pretty much Autobots win because they are the good ones or kids will be sad about it. Except for the movie.  
> Even poor constructicons, no one cares about the fact they got reprogrammed "Oh Omega Supreme I am so sorry, what the constructicons did to you was bad-" Optimus shut the fuck up. SHUT the fuck up. What they did to him?! Oh sure it's not like they were the victims in first place, no. They became bad because reprogrammed so fuck those green things! Let's not help them! Let's blame for everything like tehy're spawns of Sa- Unicron. No let's also mind control them too! Yes, mind control more or less, their brain is already screwed up enough! Decpeticon bad, autobot good, I win the game-. That's not how you play the game. So I'll tell you this: Why should I follow that canon? Fuck no. Crisis. 
> 
> Okay now I'm calm. (maybe no)  
> NOW I'm CALM. 
> 
> Also, in this au -headcanon a robot can have two bonds I already said it. They can have trine, gestalt, twins bond... and the bond with another. The trine or twin or gestalt will remain forever though, they won’t abandon it. 
> 
> Next thing. Thank you for reading this totally non Canon fan fiction. I love Megastar so much, I also ship Skywarp and Soundwave so so much. I have seen so many fan ficts of little cassettes annoying Skywarp in any possible way, for once I wanted to see them as little shippers, trying to push a little that serious and private mech their boss is.  
> also, yes... Megatron isn't that nice. But in IDW he is nice, he became good! I really don't like him being the crazy commnader i see in the cartoon, he's pretty flat and is way too rude to be the character he is... I mean... he can't be so cruel come on.  
> and Starscream isn't only a stubborn idiot. He's soft too. He just... doesn't like to show it. Because he's a stubborn idiot most of the time!


End file.
